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Self-esteem increases as people grow older, but dips when people are in their 60s, although those who make more money and are healthier tend to retain better views of themselves, researchers have found.
In the study, published in the April issue of the
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers surveyed 3,617 U.S. adults aged 25 to 104, trying to reach all of them four times between 1986 and 2002.
"Self-esteem is related to better health, less criminal behavior, lower levels of depression and, overall, greater success in life," the study's lead author, Ulrich Orth, said in a news release from the American Psychological Association. "Therefore, it's important to learn more about how the average person's self-esteem changes over time."
Young people had the lowest self-esteem, but it grew as people aged, peaking at about age 60. Women had lower self-esteem than men, on average, until they reached their 80s and 90s, the study authors found.