The Concept of the Self in Old Age

During old age some organic, biological and functional changes occur. Such changes reformulate the personality structure of old age, during which older people suffer from psychological and social maladjustment. There are individual differences in adjustment during old age, according to acceptance or refusal of social, health and psychological changes surrounding it. Usually a person in old age tries to adapt himself to such changes. He may suffer from continuing anxiety, because of which he is unable to form a defined self-concept, or he may lose self-trust. To measure self-concept in adulthood, the researcher translated into arabic “Leary’s” measurement which is known as “self-sort task" revised by Willey. The researcher called the measurement of the study “Questionnaire of Self-Identity.” In his translation in to Arabic, he tested the suitability of the items to saudi Arabia environment. The researcher realizes the reliability and the validity of the measurement before its application on the main sample of the research. The main sample consisted of 183 persons of ages: early adulthood. middle-age, old age and senium, Upon finding out statistical coefficients, it was obvious that there are statistical significances between the ages of the sample groups, concerning self-concept. The researcher explained the results, especially between old ages, due to the deteriorations that happen in the organic, functional and biological forces among old people. Such forces lessen the stability of life that faces older people, beside the absence of their social role and prestige. Accordingly such circumstances lessen their energy for self-understanding and self-comprehension as they face self-devaluation, and sometimes self-abasement. Finally the researcher explained the application steps of this study