Abstract
Health and well-being in later life are heavily influenced by behaviors across the life course, which in turn are influenced by a variety of wider contextual, social, economic, and organizational factors. There is considerable potential for inequalities in health-promoting behaviors and health outcomes, arising from poverty, social, and environmental factors. This suggests that individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and circumstances may have more exposure to (chronic) stressors, coupled with reduced access to resources, and increased susceptibility to risk factors for ill-health and mental disorders in later life. This drastically decreases the likelihood for successful aging in individuals from less advantaged backgrounds. Nevertheless, despite these adverse circumstances, some high-risk, disadvantaged individuals have been shown to achieve and maintain good health and well-being into later life. This scientific update provides an overview of recently published research with samples that, against expectations, demonstrate successful aging. Favorable personality traits, cognitive strategies, and a high-level of intrinsic motivation, paired with a supportive social environment, have been found to build a prosperous basis for successful aging and positive health outcomes in later life for individuals living in aversive environmental circumstances. For clinical psychologists, the movement towards the investigation of underlying mechanisms of successful aging from a psychological perspective, particularly in disadvantaged individuals, may be a critical step towards understanding the vast heterogeneity in aging. Successful aging is possible in disadvantaged individuals. Psychological and social resilience resources may compensate for the impact of disadvantage. The application of multi-level resilience models can aid future research on successful aging. Successful aging is possible in disadvantaged individuals. Psychological and social resilience resources may compensate for the impact of disadvantage. The application of multi-level resilience models can aid future research on successful aging.
Highlights
Health and well-being in later life are heavily influenced by behaviors across the life course, which in turn are influenced by a variety of wider contextual, social, economic, and organizational factors
Another qualitative study on successful aging” (SA) in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (N = 24; Agerange = 50-73) identi‐ fied similar themes, emphasizing components over which persons had individual control (Solomon et al, 2018). These included staying positive, maintaining social support and connectedness with others, taking responsibility and being self-reliant for one’s well-be‐ ing, and engaging in meaningful activities. These findings indicate that a combination of individual characteristics, such as control and mastery, and external influences, such as social and structural support, are important in fostering SA in this marginalized popula‐ tion
These findings suggest that the interaction of social and psychological factors can help LGBT older adults to maintain good health and foster SA, even within an environmental context of marginalization
Summary
Successful Aging in Individuals From Less Advantaged, Marginalized, and Stigmatized Backgrounds. Mc Gee ab [a] Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. [b] University Research Priority Program “Dynamics of Healthy Aging”, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Handling Editor: Cornelia Weise, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
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