A focus on building self-esteem could help prevent a sharp fall in wellbeing as young people begin secondary school, a study involving more than 11,000 UK students has concluded.
The research analysed the wellbeing of young people when they were aged 11 and then again at 14. While most said they were satisfied with life at age 11, by the time they turned 14 a majority said they were extremely dissatisfied.
The study, which has been published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology this week, found that school and peer relationships had driven the most dramatic downturns in wellbeing.
The research has been undertaken by academics from the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge who analysed the wellbeing and self-esteem of 11,231 young people from across the UK, using data collected when they were 11 and again when they were 14.
