1Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Trichy
2Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Trichy
*Corresponding Author: Mr. Garsho Rahul, Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Trichy
Received: 16th Dec, 2025; Revised: 8th Feb 2026; Accepted: 12th Feb, 2026; Available Online: 28th Feb, 2026
Self-esteem refers to the individual's overall positive or negative evaluation of the self, (Rosenberg-1965). It reflects how individuals perceive themselves in relation to their abilities, social roles, and life situations. High self-esteem is linked with confidence, positive relationships, and resilience in facing challenges, whereas low self-esteem is associated with feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and vulnerability to stress. Youth are the future of every community, and their psychological well-being plays a key role in social and economic development. In the fishermen community, youth face multiple psycho-social challenges such as uncertain livelihoods, family pressures, marital conflicts, social marginalization, and financial crisis. These factors can negatively impact their self-esteem, affecting confidence, decision-making, resilience, and social interactions. Fostering self-esteem in this context is therefore crucial, not only for individual mental health but also for empowering youth to navigate psycho-social challenges and contribute meaningfully to the growth and resilience of their community. Within this dynamic, the presence of elderly family members can play a pivotal role, as their guidance, advice, and emotional support provide protective factors that strengthen youth resilience and enhance self-esteem. The present study adopts a comparative design, focusing on 54 youth from the fishermen community of Arthunkal village Alappuzha, Kerala. The sample consists of two groups: 28 youth residing with elderly family members and 26 youth not residing with elderly in their households. Simple random sampling method was employed. This study underscores the influence of elderly family members on the psychosocial well-being of youth. The guidance, advice, and supportive presence of elders function as protective factors, enabling young people to manage psychosocial challenges more effectively. Youth residing with elderly members are expected to demonstrate stronger intergenerational support, which contributes to minimizing psychosocial problems and enhancing self-esteem. The present comparative study aims to examine the significant role of elderly family members in influencing the self-esteem of youth, by comparing those residing with elderly members in their households and those not residing with elderly. The findings and based on these insights, targeted social work interventions and recommendations have been proposed in the full paper to foster and enhance their self-esteem among youth in fishermen community.
Keywords: Youth, Fishermen Community, Self-esteem, Elder people
How to cite this article: Rahul G*, Nirmala D, Self-Esteem among Youth in the Fishermen Community Residing With and Without Elderly: A Comparative Study. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026; 16(2): 586-591; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.2.62
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None