Collective self-esteem and the onset of chronic conditions and reduced activity in a longitudinal study of aging.

Collective self-esteem (CSE) is an individual's self-evaluation as a member of social groups. It is thought to promote health and well-being in later life by moderating the harmful effects of losing personal control over these experiences. In this study of 144 community-dwelling older adults in Manitoba, Canada, among those with lower health-related perceived control, respondents with higher CSE at baseline developed significantly fewer chronic conditions over the next 6 years.