Lòng tự trọng và cơ chế ứng phó trong khó khăn cảm xúc ở học sinh phổ thông: Phân tích định tính từ các trường hợp lâm sàng

Tóm tắt

Given increased attention to the mental health of high school students, clarifying the relationship between self-esteem and coping mechanisms is crucial for school-based psychological support. This study uses a qualitative multiple-case design to explore how self-esteem and coping mechanisms interact in the emotional difficulties of high school students. Data were drawn from four adolescents aged 14-16 referred for psychological assessment and counseling at a clinical setting in Hanoi, using standardized measures (CBCL, YSR, BDI) combined with semi-structured interviews and clinical observation. Across all four cases, low self-esteem and maladaptive coping including avoidance, withdrawal, self-blame, and emotional dysregulation were consistently present. A bidirectional pattern emerged: low self-esteem constrained adaptive coping, while repeated maladaptive coping reinforced negative self-perception, sustaining a cycle of emotional difficulty. By tracing this cycle within individual cases, the study contributes a case-based account of how the self-esteem-coping interaction is shaped by academic pressure and family expectations in the Vietnamese context. The findings suggest that school-based psychological support may need to address self-concept and coping skills together, rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction.