Self-esteem peaks in men around 60

WASHINGTON, April 3 (UPI) -- Rich happily married men around 60 have the highest self-esteem, a survey by the American Psychological Association indicates.

In contrast, the survey found confidence is lowest among young adults, The Daily Telegraph reported.

After peaking in men around 60, retirement and declining health caused a decline in self-esteem, researchers said.

The Daily Telegraph said the study looked at 3,617 American men and women, ages 25 to 104, between 1986 and 2002. The survey rated how their self-esteem changed during that period, the newspaper said.

Women were less confident than men, only catching up when they got to their 80s or even 90s, the survey indicated. A better education, income, health and employment status also affected self-esteem, the report said, with those having those advantages reporting higher levels of self-esteem. Their self-esteem rose as they aged.

A happy marriage also led to higher levels of confidence.

Study leader Ulrich Orth said: "Specifically, we found that people who have higher incomes and better health in later life tend to maintain their self-esteem as they age. We cannot know for certain that more wealth and better health directly lead to higher self-esteem, but it does appear to be linked in some way," the Daily Telegraph reported.

The study was published by the Washington-headquartered American Psychological Association.

The report did not give a margin of error for its findings.