Self-Esteem Experiences among Women in Early Marriage: A Narrative Review

Early marriage which is commonly defined as marriage before the age of 18 still exists in various parts of the world whether it be in cultural context or traditional settings or due to economically vulnerable situations which clearly disregards the significance it has on a woman’s psychological development and well-being. Self-esteem being a core component of self-concept and personal growth plays a crucial role in shaping a woman’s emotional adjustment and life satisfaction and will be focused upon in this paper. The paper aims to review and synthesize the existing qualitative and quantitative literature which explores self-esteem experiences among women who had marriages at an early age. For the methodology for this paper a narrative review was taken and five studies published within the years 2005 to 2025 were selected which shows how the concept of early marriage is still relevant in various areas. The selected studies were finalized and further analyzed to identify themes and patterns related to self-esteem early marriage and other psychological components such as depression anxiety and PTSD. The findings through the literature review were associated with autonomy identity disruption self-worth low self-esteem and helping components such as education and familial support. Studies also highlighted how self-esteem becomes important in marital roles through validation and approval from mothers and spouses. Overall, the literature suggests that the impact of early marriage on self-esteem is complex and influenced by various cultural norms and social expectations. It is also affected by social support and an individual’s coping mechanisms. The findings also highlight the importance of interventions and empowerment based approaches to support positive self-esteem among women in early marriage.