Protective processes for depressed mood and anger among sexually abused adolescents: The importance of self-esteem

The aim of the study was to investigate the protective processes for depressed mood and anger among sexually abused adolescents. A cross-sectional anonymous self-report national survey was conducted including 9113 16–19-year-old students attending all upper secondary schools in Iceland in 2004. Correlations and multiple linear regression models were carried out to test for main, interaction and mediating effects. The results showed that parental support, positive attitudes towards school and sport participation negatively predicted depressed mood and anger (main effects). Self-esteem however, turned out to be a stronger negative predictor of depressed mood and anger for sexually abused adolescents than for non-abused adolescents (interaction effect). Finally, self-esteem mediated the effects of parental support, attitudes towards school and sport participation on depressed mood and anger. These results underscore the specific importance of self-esteem when predicting depressed mood and anger among sexually abused adolescents. They also indicate that parental support, attitudes towards school and sport participation are important predictors of these emotional problems, both directly and indirectly through their effects on self-esteem.