The purpose of this article is to explore the concept of self-esteem from adult women's perspectives. Based on qualitative interviews with 59 women, we found similar denotative definitions of self-esteem, but differing connotative views and experiences. The women identified three overall characteristics associated with high self-esteem (i.e. `voice', `self-perspective' and `concern for others'), viewing them as interconnected rather than isolated variables. We found self-esteem to be a reflexive, context-specific process, which is changeable over the lifespan. The women's constructions of self-esteem as a complex phenomenon are in contrast to traditional androcentric and essentialist self-esteem scales in common usage. Their views of self-esteem were socially constructed in dialogue with their culture, other persons and themselves. Implications of taking such a social constructivist approach to studying self-esteem are discussed.
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