Psychological Interventions Targeting Adults’ Subjective Views of Aging

Abstract

AbstractDecades of research have shown that adults’ negative views of aging (VoA) are associated with a wide spectrum of negative outcomes, including lower life satisfaction, poorer health, and reduced longevity. Conversely, it has been shown that positive VoA are associated with important positive outcomes, including better brain health and longer survival. These findings have led researchers to increasingly ask the following questions: (1) Can adults’ subjective VoA be made more positive through structured implicit or explicit interventions? (2) Do more positive subjective VoA serve as a possible mechanism to promote lifestyle changes that may facilitate healthy aging? This chapter reviews the existing research that has addressed these questions. Specifically, the review shows that both implicit and explicit approaches to making middle-aged and older adults’ negative VoA more positive have been successful. Moreover, findings from several studies have documented that more positive VoA after the interventions were subsequently associated with positive behavior changes, such as greater engagement in physical activity. Based on the findings from this emerging literature, it seems justified to conclude that interventions targeting middle-aged and older adults’ negative VoA may represent a promising and cost-effective way to promote behaviors that are known to support successful aging. The chapter closes with a discussion of challenges and future directions in this area of research.