Change in adult self-esteem: a longitudinal assessment.
This is a longitudinal investigation of self-esteem change in an adult population. The analysis addresses two limitations in earlier studies: the use of convenience samples of children and adolescents, and cross-sectional or short-duration longitudinal studies of self-esteem change. Participants are 97 randomly selected married couples interviewed at two points in time separated by 13 years. Two components of the self were measured: self-esteem and reflected appraisals (perception of others' evaluation). Contrary to previous research on self-esteem change, a significant decline was found in all components of the self for both husbands and wives. The decline in self-esteem was not a function of age, education or income. The decline was more likely to occur for high, rather than low, self-esteem participants. This finding is attributed to the demands on higher self-esteem participants to maintain or enhance self-esteem and the caution of low self-esteem participants to engage in behaviours that would threaten the self.
Schafer
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RB
Department of Sociology, Iowa State University 50010, USA. rschafer@iastate.edu
Keith
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PM
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D015146:Midwestern United States; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors