There is now an extensive body of research both on independent selves as conceived in western societies, and more recently on interdependent selves common to many non-western cultures. Instead of looking at the growth of self-esteem from a developmental angle, we focus on the issue of the maintenance of self-esteem as seen in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) sufferers. We use a case study approach to examine relations between AD sufferers and the non-afflicted, focusing on the strategies used by the former to maintain their sense of self-worth. Our analysis questions the suitability and logic of standard ways of conceptualizing and measuring self-esteem and points to the importance of discursive, normative aspects of revealing the details of self-worth.
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