I want to suggest that each of us comment on what we know first hand, from our own lives.
I’ve found with my friends and former classmates that those who were not connected socially, either to their family, their peers or their community, described venturing out of the realm of familiarity to seek comfort. I know of several baalos teshuva who explored other religions (to fill the emptiness) before arriving at frumkeit.
I think (and I’m open to your thoughts) that low self esteem can lead to one of two things: conformity, when accompanied by fear, and seeking an independent route, when perhaps, accompanied more by anger/resentment.
When my son cursed, recently, (something he does not hear in our home, but hears among peers), my husband took the high road. Although I was angry and wanted to punish him, my husband took the perspective of “our child needs to know that he’s above this kind of speech. That it’s beneath him to talk that way”.
I was astounded. He approached our child like a heiligeh Neshoma.