Abstract
The extent to which older adults’ ageist attitudes associate with their will-to-live has barely been studied. Moreover, whether this effect is moderated by older adults’ age, medical conditions, and attitudes toward their own aging has not been investigated. These associations were examined by two studies. Study 1 examined the relationship between ageist attitudes and will-to-live among individuals aged 48–97, and the moderating roles of age and medical conditions on this connection. Study 2 reassessed this connection in a new sample of older adults (people aged 60–94 years) and examined the moderating role of their attitudes toward aging in this regard. In line with the hypothesis of the first study, ageist attitudes and will-to-live were negatively associated among older adults with more medical conditions. In accordance with the hypotheses of study 2, the ageist attitudes and will-to-live connection was reconstructed, and when regressed on the ageist attitudes × attitudes toward aging interaction, it remained significant only among those with increased ageist attitudes. These findings demonstrate the negative effect that ageist attitudes may have on will-to-live, especially among the very old, and particularly when their health deteriorates, and support the utility of interventions aimed at increasing their will-to-live.
Highlights
Will-to-live (WTL) is defined as the psychological expression of one’s commitment and desire to continue living, which is a natural and a physiological instinct of all living creatures [1]
When examining the subjective moderator of positive attitudes toward aging in light of stereotype embodiment theory (SET) [25], we offer the following rationale: if this moderator mitigates the association between ageist attitudes and WTL, this may suggest that positive attitudes toward aging can assist in maintaining one’s WTL, by impeding the negative embodiment of ageist attitudes in old age
These findings comply with the conceptualization of ageism and it is combined with old age
Summary
Will-to-live (WTL) is defined as the psychological expression of one’s commitment and desire to continue living, which is a natural and a physiological instinct of all living creatures [1]. WTL is considered a marker of subjective well-being, which may outweigh the adversities of life [2]. It has been positively correlated with satisfaction with life, self-esteem, happiness, psychological prosperity, positive affect, gratitude, resilience, and meaning in life [1,3,4]. This concept has a prognostic value in predicting survival and longevity among older adults. Several studies have demonstrated that WTL is a positive resource for older adults. High levels of WTL were associated with higher survival in two longitudinal studies among Israeli women aged 70 and over, and among both men and women (aged 75–90) in Finland, even after controlling for demographics and for their medical and mental health [5,6]
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