Self-esteem and depression. 1. Measurement issues and prediction of onset.

Research on the efficacy of measures of self-esteem to predict onset of depression has produced highly variable results. Longitudinal population studies in London and Edinburgh have produced positive findings, but there are a number of studies with negative results. This paper examines in more detail than hitherto the results of the London, Islington, longitudinal study and discusses issues of measurement which might explain the variable success of such predictions.