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Related Concept Videos

Self-Esteem01:28

Self-Esteem

Self-esteem, a core aspect of psychological well-being, reflects an individual's positive and negative self-evaluation in terms of worth, competence, and overall value. It is both a stable trait and a dynamic process, influenced by experiences and social interactions across the lifespan. While global self-esteem offers a general assessment, research highlights that self-esteem is multidimensional and varies across specific life domains.Domain-Specific Self-EsteemResearchers have delineated...
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood01:27

Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood

Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines a series of stages through which individuals progress across the lifespan. Each stage involves a psychosocial conflict that significantly influences personal growth and well-being. Three key stages — intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair — highlight the developmental challenges faced in adulthood.
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early adulthood, from the 20s...
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

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Longitudinal Research02:20

Longitudinal Research

Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
07:40

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

Self-esteem development from young adulthood to old age: a cohort-sequential longitudinal study.

Ulrich Orth1, Kali H Trzesniewski, Richard W Robins

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Birmannsgasse 8, 4055 Basel, Switzerland. ulrich.orth@unibas.ch

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|March 24, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Self-esteem increases through adulthood, peaking around age 60, then declines in older age. This study tracked self-esteem development across the adult lifespan.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
07:40

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Self-esteem is a crucial aspect of psychological well-being.
  • Understanding self-esteem trajectories across the lifespan is important for public health.
  • Previous research has yielded mixed findings on adult self-esteem development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the developmental trajectory of self-esteem from young adulthood to old age.
  • To investigate demographic and socioeconomic predictors of self-esteem changes.
  • To identify factors contributing to self-esteem decline in later life.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Americans' Changing Lives study, a 16-year longitudinal study.
  • Analyzed a nationally representative sample of 3,617 individuals aged 25–104 years.
  • Employed latent growth curve modeling to assess self-esteem trajectories.

Main Results:

  • Self-esteem exhibited a quadratic trajectory, increasing until approximately age 60 and then declining.
  • No significant cohort differences were observed in self-esteem trajectories.
  • Gender, race, and education influenced self-esteem levels and trajectories, with notable differences emerging in old age.

Conclusions:

  • Self-esteem follows a distinct developmental path across the adult lifespan.
  • Changes in socioeconomic status and physical health appear to mediate the decline in self-esteem in old age.
  • Findings highlight the dynamic nature of self-esteem and its vulnerability to life circumstances in later adulthood.