Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter Test
Studies in English-speaking countries have reported mixed findings regarding the association between implicit self-esteem assessed by the Name Letter Task and subsequent depressive symptoms. In addition, it remains uncertain whether the nature, causes and consequences of implicit self-esteem differ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2025.2456329 |
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| _version_ | 1832582212819615744 |
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| author | Hikaru Ohno Akira Hasegawa |
| author_facet | Hikaru Ohno Akira Hasegawa |
| author_sort | Hikaru Ohno |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies in English-speaking countries have reported mixed findings regarding the association between implicit self-esteem assessed by the Name Letter Task and subsequent depressive symptoms. In addition, it remains uncertain whether the nature, causes and consequences of implicit self-esteem differ from those of explicit self-esteem assessed by self-report measures. The authors investigated the effects of implicit and explicit self-esteem and interactions between implicit or explicit self-esteem and negative event experiences on depressive symptoms in a non-English-speaking population. The study also examined whether experiencing positive and negative events had identical effects on implicit and explicit self-esteem. Japanese undergraduate students (N = 154) completed the Name Letter Task and scales assessing explicit self-esteem, experiences of positive and negative events, and depressive symptoms twice at an interval of 2 weeks. Results showed that baseline implicit self-esteem had a significant negative association with depressive symptoms 2 weeks later by controlling for baseline depressive symptoms. In contrast, there was no significant interaction between implicit self-esteem and experiences of negative events during the follow-up period. Baseline explicit self-esteem was not significantly related to subsequent depressive symptoms. Results also showed that experiences of positive but not negative events during the follow-up period were significantly associated with increased implicit and explicit self-esteem. These findings suggest that implicit self-esteem predicts depressive symptoms in non-selected undergraduate students and even in a non-English-speaking population. Moreover, positive event experiences might be a common cause of implicit and explicit self-esteem. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-16cf25eb8efa44ea8307f2ca492a157e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2331-1908 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-16cf25eb8efa44ea8307f2ca492a157e2025-01-30T03:42:29ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Psychology2331-19082025-12-0112110.1080/23311908.2025.2456329Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter TestHikaru Ohno0Akira Hasegawa1Graduate School of Human Relations, Tokai Gakuin University, Gifu, JapanDepartment of Psychology, International University of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, JapanStudies in English-speaking countries have reported mixed findings regarding the association between implicit self-esteem assessed by the Name Letter Task and subsequent depressive symptoms. In addition, it remains uncertain whether the nature, causes and consequences of implicit self-esteem differ from those of explicit self-esteem assessed by self-report measures. The authors investigated the effects of implicit and explicit self-esteem and interactions between implicit or explicit self-esteem and negative event experiences on depressive symptoms in a non-English-speaking population. The study also examined whether experiencing positive and negative events had identical effects on implicit and explicit self-esteem. Japanese undergraduate students (N = 154) completed the Name Letter Task and scales assessing explicit self-esteem, experiences of positive and negative events, and depressive symptoms twice at an interval of 2 weeks. Results showed that baseline implicit self-esteem had a significant negative association with depressive symptoms 2 weeks later by controlling for baseline depressive symptoms. In contrast, there was no significant interaction between implicit self-esteem and experiences of negative events during the follow-up period. Baseline explicit self-esteem was not significantly related to subsequent depressive symptoms. Results also showed that experiences of positive but not negative events during the follow-up period were significantly associated with increased implicit and explicit self-esteem. These findings suggest that implicit self-esteem predicts depressive symptoms in non-selected undergraduate students and even in a non-English-speaking population. Moreover, positive event experiences might be a common cause of implicit and explicit self-esteem.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2025.2456329Self-esteemName Letter Taskinitial preferential taskdepressionstressCounseling Psychology |
| spellingShingle | Hikaru Ohno Akira Hasegawa Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter Test Cogent Psychology Self-esteem Name Letter Task initial preferential task depression stress Counseling Psychology |
| title | Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter Test |
| title_full | Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter Test |
| title_fullStr | Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter Test |
| title_full_unstemmed | Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter Test |
| title_short | Implicit self-esteem decreases depressive symptoms, but explicit self-esteem does not: longitudinal study in Japan using the Name Letter Test |
| title_sort | implicit self esteem decreases depressive symptoms but explicit self esteem does not longitudinal study in japan using the name letter test |
| topic | Self-esteem Name Letter Task initial preferential task depression stress Counseling Psychology |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2025.2456329 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hikaruohno implicitselfesteemdecreasesdepressivesymptomsbutexplicitselfesteemdoesnotlongitudinalstudyinjapanusingthenamelettertest AT akirahasegawa implicitselfesteemdecreasesdepressivesymptomsbutexplicitselfesteemdoesnotlongitudinalstudyinjapanusingthenamelettertest |