Nursing intervention for improving self-esteem and coping patterns among adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders

Abstract

Adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders frequently experience diminished self-esteem and maladaptive coping, highlighting the need for targeted nursing interventions to enhance self-perception and foster adaptive coping in this population. The study aimed to examine changes observed following the intervention delivered as part of routine clinical care for adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders on their self-esteem and coping patterns. A quasi-experimental one-group pre- and post-test design was used with seventy adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders. Data were collected using an interviewing questionnaire (socio-demographic characteristics and psychiatric and physical history), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Adolescent-Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences (A-COPE). The intervention program focused on enhancing self-esteem and fostering adaptive coping patterns. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Spearman’s correlation. Statistically significant changes in median scores for self-esteem and coping domains were observed following implementation of the nursing intervention. Significant positive correlations between self-esteem and coping patterns pre- and post-intervention were also observed. While the quasi-experimental one-group pre- and post-test design limits causal inferences, the observed improvements in self-esteem and coping patterns suggest that the nursing intervention may benefit adolescents with depressive and anxiety disorders. These findings support incorporating such interventions into mental health services and highlight the importance of future randomized controlled trials to confirm its effectiveness. The study was retrospectively registered with the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (PACTR) (PACTR 202508828331881) on 21 August 2025.