title: Characteristics of high and low self-esteem in the elderly.
abstract: Self-esteem is fundamental to the elderly's experience of life. To examine what background and personality characteristics were associated with low and high self-esteem in the elderly, 250 men and women age sixty-five and older were studied. Elderly with either high or low self-esteem did not differ with respect to age, income, education, or living-arrangement. However, the low self-esteem group had poorer self-reported health, more pain, and higher disability. The low self-esteem group had significantly higher scores on depression, anxiety, somatization, and a more external locus of control orientation both with and without health variables controlled. These data suggest that intervention may be a viable aid in promoting better feelings toward the self for persons over age sixty-five.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept