Objective: to develop a literature review about low self-esteem and components of the nursing diagnoses Low Chronic Self-Esteem and Low Situational Self-Esteem in patients with depressed mood.
Method: an integrative literature review carried out in the Pubmed portal and in the Scopus and Web of Science electronic bibliographic databases. Depression and self-esteem descriptors were used, resulting in 32 articles.
Results: literature indicated 7 clinical indicators and 14 etiological factors for low self-esteem.
Conclusion: The clinical indicators Suicidal ideation and Ineffective treatment were more prevalent in the study. The etiological factors Stressful events and Stigmatization were the most frequent, both of which were suggested as new related factors for low self-esteem. Nursing diagnosis recognition can contribute to intervention strategy elaboration by the nurse, according to the urgent diagnostic and the individual's particularities.