While self-esteem is considered to be a relatively stable, or unchanging, personality variable over time, some research suggests that labile, and/or conditional, self-esteem may put a child at risk for depressive episodes.
Labile Self-Esteem
Labile self-esteem refers to a constantly changing sense of self-esteem. For most people, self-esteem remains relatively constant over time. However, labile self-esteem is easily changed from low to high, or high to low. It is these rapid changes that may increase a child's risk for experiencing a depressive episode.
Conditional Self-Esteem
Conditional self-esteem describes an aspect of self-esteem that is dependent on certain personal variables.
For example, a teen whose self-esteem is overly dependent on her relationship with a boyfriend may experience rapid changes in the way she feels about herself as her relationship has ups and downs.
Essentially, her self-esteem is high when her relationship is going well according to her needs, but she feels bad about herself when the relationship is not meeting her expectations.
Self-Esteem Changes and Depression
Most people experience ups and downs and small changes in the way they feel about themselves. Personal relationships, academic, and extra-curricular achievements are important to children and teens. So it is normal to feel bad about disappointments, disagreements, or failures. Problems may occur when a child's self-esteem depends completely on just a few factors that naturally change or tend to be volatile.
There are several factors that make up your child's self-esteem, and some of them may not be completely conscious. It may be important for you to pay attention to which factors and circumstances most impact your child's self-esteem.
If you notice that her self-esteem or mood is rapidly changing or seems overly impacted by changes in circumstances, you may consider seeking professional help for depression prevention.
Sources:
Jonathon D. Brown. The Self. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1998.
Ulrich Orth, Richard W. Robins, Brent W. Roberts. Low Self-Esteem Prospectively Predicts Depression in Adolescence and Young Adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2008; 95(3): 695-708.
