Self Esteem

Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that self-esteem increases throughout adult life, peaking at around retirement age but declining thereafter. Health and income are significant factors in the maintenance of self-esteem.

Lead author, Ulrich Orth, PhD, of the University of Basel said:

"Self-esteem is related to better health, less criminal behavior, lower levels of depression and, overall, greater success in life. Therefore, it's important to learn more about how the average person's self-esteem changes over time."

The study recruited 3617 men and women living in the United States and aged between 25 and 104 who were interviewed on four occasions between 1986 and 2002. Self-esteem was assessed by asking participants the extent to which they agreed with statements such as:

• "I take a positive attitude toward myself"