Then they recorded the positive and negative life events each student had experienced over the previous year, along with how often they had been physically sick. Negative life events were associated with poorer health. Among people with relatively high self-esteem, more positive life events were associated with better health. Among those with low self-esteem, however, the relationship went in the opposite direction: more positive life events were associated with poorer health. Among people with low in self-esteem, positive life events were associated with poorer health.