One of the strengths of the project is its focus on prevention as much as treatment.
A new piece of research led by Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is shining a light on a subject many young people quietly struggle with: self-esteem.
The project focuses on teenagers who are experiencing low self-esteem alongside anxiety, depression or other emotional difficulties. While self-esteem is often talked about in broad terms, this research looks closely at how it actually develops during adolescence, how it becomes damaged, and what genuinely helps young people rebuild a healthier sense of self.
For many teenagers, confidence doesn’t disappear overnight. It is slowly shaped by experiences at school, online spaces, friendships, family dynamics and the growing pressure to perform, fit in and be “enough”. When self-esteem takes a hit, it can leave young people more vulnerable to mental health challenges and less likely to seek help when they need it.
The research team is exploring practical, evidence-based ways to support teenagers earlier, before low self-esteem becomes deeply entrenched. This includes working directly with young people to understand their lived experience and testing interventions that feel relevant, accessible and realistic rather than abstract or overly clinical.
One of the strengths of the project is its focus on prevention as much as treatment. By identifying what supports confidence and emotional resilience during the teenage years, the findings could help schools, parents, youth workers and health professionals respond more effectively. It also recognises that self-esteem is not simply an individual issue, but something shaped by systems, environments and expectations around young people.
Researchers hope the work will contribute to more tailored mental health support for teenagers across the region and beyond. In time, it could inform new therapeutic approaches and resources that help young people feel more secure in who they are, more able to cope with setbacks, and more confident about asking for support.
At a time when concerns about young people’s mental health continue to rise, the project is a reminder that confidence, self-worth and emotional safety matter just as much as clinical symptoms. By listening carefully to teenagers and grounding solutions in real experience, the research offers a hopeful step towards stronger, more compassionate mental health support for the next generation.
