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Self-esteem issues in teenagers are a very real concern. The teen years overall are a turbulent time. This turbulence results in attacks on the self-esteem. Many decisions and actions that a teen goes through affects the self-esteem in a negatively as does the cruelty with which teens often treat each other.

Though self-esteem generally improves as an individual matures, the teen years must be gotten through safely first. A low self-esteem brings many difficulties that can impact social and behavioral development, and can even be life threatening.

Self-esteem is closely related to feelings of self-efficacy, or the feeling that an individual has about their ability to control self and the environment as it affects an them. A teen who has a low self-esteem feels powerless to control their environment. This in turn leads to lower motivation, which results in even lower self-esteem. It is a vicious cycle that, if not broken, can lead to disaster.

Low self-esteem can affect academic performance, social interactions, career plans, and mental health. Low self-esteem can lead to suicide, which has become of epidemic proportions. Often, the teenager who has low self-esteem will be missed because it is believed they are just shy or quiet. They don't cause trouble, so they don't get attention. However, this is not always the situation. Sometimes a teen with a low self-esteem will act on in ways that get them in trouble with school officials or the juvenile system. These teens are crying out for help, but are often interpreted to just be bad kids.

When low self-esteem is interpreted to be a mental health issue and help is sought, that teen will get help. They will then have assistance in getting through this difficult stage. This may be the deciding factor that helps them get through this developmental stage with their mental health intact, so that maturity can help them develop their self-esteem to a more positive degree.

Part of the problem with self-esteem involves the incongruence between motivation and self-concept. Self-concept is related to self-esteem but not the same thing. Motivation is of two types, self-enhancement and self-verification. Self-enhancement means the person is motivated to make others think more highly. Self-verification means the individual is motivated to maintain their concept of their abilities. When the motivation is not reinforced, results in low self-esteem. It is therefore important for anyone working with a teen with low self-esteem to

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