PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG ADOLESCENTS: THE ROLES OF PEER ACCEPTANCE, SELF-ESTEEM, PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR, AND EMOTION REGULATION

One of the most important markers and key indicators of positive mental health is psychological well-being, which includes self-acceptance, positive relationships, and personal growth. Adolescence is a critical and crucial developmental stage marked by significant increase to a person's physical, emotional, social, and cognitive changes, making individuals more vulnerable to mental health problems. Globally, one out of seven adolescents experience a mental disorder, and in Padang City nearly half of adolescents have been reported to have poor mental health, highlighting the need to identify factors influencing psychological well-being. This study examined the predictive roles of peer acceptance, self-esteem, prosocial behaviour, and emotion regulation in adolescents’ psychological well-being. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 504 adolescents aged 14–17 years through five standardized instruments measuring the study variables. Data analysis using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression showed significant relationships between psychological well-being and all predictors (p ≤ .05). Among these factors, self-esteem emerged as the strongest predictor. Together, peer acceptance, self-esteem, prosocial behaviour, and emotion regulation explained 35.5% of the variance in psychological well-being. The findings emphasize the importance of self-esteem and social factors and suggest that school-based interventions focusing on strengthening self-esteem and social connectedness may enhance adolescents’ mental health resilience.