Relationships Between Aging Attitudes and Successful Aging Outcomes in Middle-age and Older Women

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives This study aimed to explore the relationships between aging attitudes and the outcomes of successful aging, including whether aging attitudinal types moderate psychological adjustment in the context of medical and mental health diagnoses. Methods In total, 409 community-dwelling women aged 40–79 years in Australia completed the Reactions to Aging Questionnaire (RAQ), Geriatric Depression Scale, Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory. Information about medical and mental health diagnoses were collected. Results Overall, aging attitudes and all three RAQ subscales were negatively correlated with scores on measures of depression and anxiety, and number of medical diagnoses. Attitudinal types toward aging were found to moderate the relationship between the number of mental health diagnoses and scores on the psychological measures of depression but not anxiety. Unique RAQ domain-specific relationships were found with the number of mental health diagnoses. Conclusions The findings support the link between aging attitudes and psychological outcomes, the potential clinical value of RAQ attitudinal typologies classification as well as a multidimensional conceptualization of aging attitudes. Clinical Implications The findings reinforce the need for efforts to reduce ageism on a societal level, as well as informing clinical decision-making with older clients.