Self-Esteem and Psychological Distress in Later Life

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between self-esteem and psychological distress in later life. The majority of researchers who have assessed this relationship assume that greater self-esteem is associated with a reduced risk of distress. However, other investigators propose that this relationship may be more complex and that individuals with extremely high as well as extremely low self-esteem are more likely to experience psychological distress than persons with a more moderate sense of self-worth. Findings from a nationwide survey of older adults tend to support the more complex view. It is further hypothesized that people with extremely high self-esteem are at risk because they tend to be isolated from their social network members. This hypothesis is also supported by the data. The implications of the findings are discussed.