Introduction:

The presence of mental health problems among adults in Ecuador underscores the need to identify potential predictors of their occurrence.

Objective:

This study aimed to examine the impact of loneliness perception and self-esteem as potential predictors of mental health problems in a sample of Ecuadorian adults.

Methodology:

A descriptive, correlational, predictive, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 1,293 Ecuadorian adults aged 18 to 63 years, of whom 42.3% were men and 57.7% were women.

Results:

Loneliness and self-esteem levels were found to be moderate, while the prevalence of mental health problems was low. Loneliness showed a positive moderate correlation with somatization, whereas self-esteem displayed a slight negative correlation with depression. Both loneliness and self-esteem emerged as significant predictors of these conditions.

Conclusion:

Loneliness and self-esteem influence the development and progression of specific mental health problems, such as somatization and depression, highlighting their relevance in interventions aimed at promoting mental health.