How to Promote Positive Self Esteem in Your Teens After Divorce

How to Promote Positive Self Esteem in Your Teens After Divorce 

The topic of how to promote positive self esteem in teens after parents divorce is one my clients bring up often.

The teen years are complex and nearly all parents have had some concern at one time or another about their teen’s well-being.  This concern increases when teens are living through a parent’s divorce. Parents worry they have added additional stressors to an already intense transition period making it harder for their teen to cope.

There has been quite a bit of research over the past decade into depression and suicidal behavior among adolescents. This research has uncovered evidence of a relationship between self-esteem, hopelessness, and loneliness and it's relationship with depression and suicide attempt behavior in teens.

These studies suggest that we pay careful attention to an adolescent's self-esteem and especially so when they are missing out on the emotional and social support offered by peer and/or family relation-ships which can occur with divorce.

Adolescents differ in the way they are impacted by low self-esteem.  For example, For some, social function­ing plays a role in their self-esteem. Loneliness has been viewed in the research as a subtype of depression related to  interpersonal problems. While loneliness is considered primarily a social problem, depression can be nonsocial or a mixture of social and nonsocial problems.

For others, athletic or academic skills are important factors. Sometimes self-esteem is based on the accomplishment of specific goals or if a teen emphasizes social relationships social relationships and per­sonal qualities these may be contributors.

The really good news is that Improvement in one or more areas related to self-esteem can have a profound impact on your child's emotional well-being. Positive self esteem  serves as a protective factor during periods of high stress.  Research has shown that high self-esteem pro­tects youths from the adverse effects of life stress.

Many adolescents may benefit from school or community programs designed to promote positive self-esteem. 

Many adolescents may benefit from school or community programs designed to promote positive self-esteem.

However, don't lose site of the fact that as a parent you may be able to have the most influence in promoting positive self-esteem in your child.