Although it is normally associated with the trials and tribulations of adolescence, boosting self-esteem is even more import for older adults, according to a recent study.
Researchers from Concordia University in Canada found that it is important for older adults to maintain and improve upon their confidence levels as they enter their twilight years, because boosting self-esteem can help buffer potential health threats typically associated with the transition into older adulthood.
"Improving self-esteem provides real health benefits in seniors," researcher Sarah Liu said in a statement.
For the study, researchers recruited 147 adults aged 60 and over to measure their cortisol levels, self-esteem, stress, and symptoms of depression every 24 months more than four years. Self-esteem was measured through standard questions, such as whether the participant felt worthless. Personal and health factors like economic status, whether the participant was married or single, and mortality risk were taken into account.
Based on their findings, researchers concluded that maintaining or even improving self-esteem could help prevent health problems.
"[This is] because self-esteem is associated with psychological wellbeing and physical health, raising self-esteem would be an ideal way to help prevent health problems later in life," Liu said.
Liu added that encouraging older adults to "go out and make more friends, or simply enhance their feelings of self-worth," could improve their self-esteem.
"The ultimate solution may be to prevent self-esteem from declining," she said.
While this study looked at cortisol levels, Liu says future research could examine immune function to further illuminate how increases in self-esteem can contribute to patterns of healthy aging.
