Negative Self-perceptions Of Aging Research Articles

The role of social network diversity in self-perceptions of aging in later life

While the link between self-perceptions of aging (SPA) and healthy aging is well established, less is known about the association between social factors and SPA. The present study investigated whether higher social network diversity is associated with more positive and less negative SPA and whether this association is moderated by age. We examined cross-sectional data from the German Ageing Survey of 2008 (DEAS; N = 6205, 40–85 years, 49.5% female). Network diversity was assessed as the number of social roles in an individual’s network (such as spouse, friend and colleague). Three domains of SPA were measured using the Aging-Related Cognitions Scale (AgeCog): ongoing development (positive SPA), social losses (negative SPA) and physical losses (negative SPA). We conducted multiple linear regression models and tested for a moderator effect of age using an interaction term of age and network diversity. Results showed that at higher ages older adults with higher network diversity reported more positive SPA related to ongoing development and more negative SPA related to social losses than those with less diverse networks, indicating that age has a moderating effect. We found no association between network diversity and negative SPA related to physical losses and no indication that age was relevant to this relationship. The present study adds to evidence on the role of social networks in SPA. Our findings suggest that in certain SPA domains and depending on age, network diversity is related to both more positive and more negative SPA, which emphasizes the importance of considering domain-specific SPA.

Dyadic profiles of couples' self-perceptions of aging: Implications for mental health.

The way older adults perceive their own aging processes influences their mental health, but we know little about how this occurs in a dyadic context, where spouses' perceptions and health are often intertwined. The present study sought to identify dyadic profiles of self-perceptions of aging (SPAs) in couples and examine how certain profiles are associated with each partner's mental health over time. A pooled sample of 3,850 heterosexual couples aged 50+ in the Health and Retirement Study (2012/2014) rated positive and negative SPAs and provided data on demographic characteristics, couple relationships, and health. We tracked these couples' depressive symptoms over 2 years (2014/2016). Latent profile analysis revealed five profiles of couples' SPAs: similarly positive (20%), similarly negative (6%), similarly average (38%), husband negative (20%), and wife negative (17%). Physical health and marital quality consistently differentiated couples in profile membership. Couples with similarly positive and similarly average SPAs reported the smallest increases in depressive symptoms over time, and couples with similarly negative SPAs fared worst in mental health. We observed interesting gender differences across profiles; husbands in the husband negative profile reported significantly greater increases in depressive symptoms than those in the wife negative profile. Yet, wives in these two profiles did not differ in their depressive symptoms over time, and they reported worse mental health than wives in the similarly positive and similarly average profiles. This study adds to the emerging literature that advocates for an interpersonal approach to SPAs and reveals risk and resilience in couples as they age together. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

EFFECTS OF SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING ON COGNITIVE HEALTH: MEDIATING ROLE OF SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS

Abstract Cognitive decline is one of the most common age-related stereotypes. The stereotype embodiment theory suggests that negative age stereotypes can be internalized through socialization and become negative self-perceptions of aging (SPA). However, the potential mediating role social relationships play between SPA and cognitive health remains unclear. Using three-wave data spanning eight years (2008/2010 – 2016/2018) from the Health and Retirement Study, this study aims to examine (1) SPA’s long-term effects on changes in cognitive health; and (2) the mediating role of social isolation and loneliness (N = 3,569, Mage = 72.30). SPA was measured by an 8-item scale. Cognitive health was measured by immediate and delayed word list recall. Social isolation was measured using network size, network diversity, frequency of contact with networks, and frequency of social participation. Loneliness was measured using the 11-item UCLA Loneliness scale. We controlled for baseline measures of the dependent variables and health-related and sociodemographic covariates. We found that negative SPA at baseline was associated with memory decline eight years later (b = -0.03, SE = 0.02, p < 0.05). The path analysis revealed that social isolation and loneliness were mediators between SPA and cognitive health, with social isolation accounting for 15% and loneliness accounting for another 32% of the total effects. The results suggest that social isolation and loneliness are pathways by which SPA exerts adverse effects on memory among older adults. Negative SPA should be a target for intervention. In addition, social relationship building could alleviate the impact of SPA on cognitive health.

P125: Guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden in adults who present physical limitations. Associated factors and age differences

Objective:Previous research has suggested that negative self-perceptions of aging and lower sense of control were significantly associated with worse physical and mental health, including physical limitations and feelings of guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden. However, no study has analyzed the associations of these variables when jointly considered and assessed the potential differences in the associations between people aged 40 to 59 years and people aged 60 years and older. The objective of this study was to assess the potential differences in the associations mentioned above between people aged 40 to 59 years and people aged 60 years and older.Methods:Participants were 377 people over 40 years (206 aged 40 to 59 years and 171 participants aged 60 years and older) who answered an online survey. The association between negative self-perceptions of aging, perceived control, physical limitations, and guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden was tested through path-analyses, with differences between age groups tested through multigroup analysis.Results:Significant differences between age groups were obtained. The results suggest that the influence of negative self-perceptions of aging on guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden is indirect through lower sense of control in participants aged 40 to 59 years; in participants aged 60 and over, negative self-perceptions of aging had a direct and indirect effect on guilt through greater physical limitations.Conclusion:Negative self-perceptions of aging seem to be a relevant variable to understand feelings of guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden in both middle-aged adults and older adults. However, this study documents potential differences in the correlates of guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden between participants aged 40 to 59 years and individuals aged 60 years and older. Specifically, the results suggest that the associations between negative self-perceptions of aging and guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden are modulated by lower sense of control in middle-aged and by greater physical limitations in older adults. These results support the relevance of social and cognitive processes related with aging for understanding feelings of guilt for perceiving oneself as a burden.

Internalization of negative societal views on old age into self-perceptions of aging: exploring factors associated with self-directed ageism.

A growing number of research has provided evidence for the negative impact of ageism on older people's health and well-being. Among the three different manifestations of ageism, namely institutional, interpersonal and self-directed ageism, significant ageism-health associations have been proved to be strongest for self-directed ageism. This supports stereotype embodiment theory, which maintains that lifetime exposure to negative age stereotypes leads to the internalization of ageism as a form of negative attitudes towards own aging and it adversely affects health and well-being in old age. However, little is known about how people internalize negative age stereotypes held in the society into self-perceptions of aging. This study aimed to explore how socially shared beliefs about old age are internalized into self-perceptions of aging focusing on uncovering factors related to self-directed ageism. Data were derived from the survey that had examined citizen's attitudes towards old age and aging in Finland. Multinominal logistic regression models were performed to examine the association of sociodemographic and contextual factors with different combinations of societal age stereotypes and two indicators of self-perceptions of aging: subjective views on old age and personal feelings of own old age. The analyses showed that being female, attaining tertiary education, evaluating poor quality of life and awareness of institutional old age discrimination were related to holding negative views on aging towards both society and oneself. The findings from univariate and multivariate models suggest that it is not age per se, but structural and cultural circumstances shaped with growing older that turns socially shared negative age stereotypes into negative self-perceptions of aging. Even though the study addressed situations in one country, the findings have an important implication for other rapidly aging societies regarding how social and cultural contexts are closely linked to the formation of self-directed ageism.

Optimizing a Technology-Based Body and Mind Intervention to Prevent Falls and Reduce Health Disparities in Low-Income Populations: Protocol for a Clustered Randomized Controlled Trial.

The lack of health care coverage, low education, low motivation, and inconvenience remain barriers to participating in fall prevention programs, especially among low-income older adults. Low-income status also contributes to negative aging self-perceptions and is associated with a high perceived barrier to care. Existing fall prevention intervention technologies do not enable participants and practitioners to interact and collaborate, even with technologies that bring viable strategies to maintain independence, prevent disability, and increase access to quality care. Research is also limited on the use of technology to enhance motivation and help individuals align their perception with physiological fall risk. We developed a novel, 8-week Physio-Feedback Exercise Program (PEER), which includes (1) technology-based physio-feedback using a real-time portable innovative technology-the BTrackS Balance Tracking System, which is reliable and affordable, allows for home testing, and provides feedback and tracks balance progression; (2) cognitive reframing using the fall risk appraisal matrix; and (3) peer-led exercises focusing on balance, strength training, and incorporating exercises into daily activities. This study consists of 3 aims. Aim 1 is to examine the effects of the technology-based PEER intervention on fall risk, dynamic balance, and accelerometer-based physical activity (PA). Aim 2 is to examine the effects of the PEER intervention on fall risk appraisal shifting and negative self-perceptions of aging. Aim 3 is to explore participants' experiences with the PEER intervention and potential barriers to accessing and adopting the technology-based PEER intervention to inform future research. This is an intention-to-treat, single-blinded, parallel, 2-arm clustered randomized controlled trial study. We will collect data from 340 low-income older adults at baseline (T1) and measure outcomes after program completion (T2) and follow-up at 3 months (T3) and 6 months (T4). Participants will be enrolled if they meet all the following inclusion criteria: aged ≥60 years, cognitively intact, and able to stand without assistance. Exclusion criteria were as follows: a medical condition precluding exercise or PA, currently receiving treatment from a rehabilitation facility, plan to move within 1 year, hospitalized >3 times in the past 12 months, and does not speak English or Spanish. As of August 2023, the enrollment of participants is ongoing. This study addresses the public health problem by optimizing a customized, technology-driven approach that can operate in low-resource environments with unlimited users to prevent falls and reduce health disparities in low-income older adults. The PEER is a novel intervention that combines concepts of physio-feedback, cognitive reframing, and peer-led exercise by motivating a shift in self-estimation of fall risk to align with physiological fall risk to improve balance, PA, and negative aging self-perception. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05778604; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT05778604. DERR1-10.2196/51899.

Validation of the Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale: Perceived Constraints on Personal Control and Perceived Mastery

Objectives Perceived control is a relevant variable for understanding middle and older adults’ mental health. The Perceived Control Scale has two dimensions, Perceived Constraints on Personal Control and Perceived Mastery, and is a widely used instrument for assessing perceived control in adults. The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale with data from two different studies. Method In Study 1, 348 older adults between 60 and 92 years old were assessed through face-to-face assessments. In Study 2, 334 adults between 40 and 90 years completed an online survey. Perceived control, self-perceptions of aging, and anxiety and depressive symptomatology were assessed. An exploratory (Study 1) and confirmatory (Study 2) factor analysis of the Perceived Control Scale were performed, and reliability and its relationship with the other assessed variables were evaluated. Results Results from parallel, exploratory, and confirmatory factor analyses suggested that the Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale has a bidimensional structure: Perceived Constraints on Personal Control and Perceived Mastery. Good internal consistency was found for the scale in both samples. The results revealed negative and significant associations with negative self-perceptions of aging, and anxiety and depressive symptomatology. Conclusion The Spanish version of the Perceived Control Scale shows good psychometric properties which endorse its use with middle-aged and older adults assessed either face-to-face or through online surveys.

Self-perception of aging and perceived medical discrimination.

Individuals who perceive medical discrimination often face adverse consequences. How individuals perceive their own aging experiences may influence perceived medical discrimination due to age by generating expectations that they will receive poor treatment from clinicians, which may be amplified for individuals who also perceive discrimination because of race. This study explored the relationship between self-perceptions of aging (SPA) and perceived medical discrimination due to age, race, and other reasons. We used three waves (2008, 2012, 2016) from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data. Our sample included 10,188 community-residing individuals aged 51 and over. SPA were measured by two domains: positive SPA and negative SPA. Multinomial logistic regression that adjusted for demographic, health characteristics, and year-fixed effects was conducted to estimate the relationship between SPA and categories of perceived medical discrimination (age, race, age and race, and other). Approximately 11% of the population perceived discrimination because of age or race in the medical setting from 2008 to 2016. Older adults who had a positive SPA were 15% [Adjusted relative risk ratio (ARR): 0.85, 95% CI: 0.79-0.91], 13% [ARRR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-1.00], and 20% [ARRR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.74-0.88] less likely to experience perceived medical discrimination due to age, race, and the intersection of age and race, respectively, than those who did not, holding other factors constant. Those who held a negative SPA were 38% [ARRR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.28-1.48] more likely to report perceived medical discrimination due to age and 12% [ARRR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03-1.21] more likely to report perceived medical discrimination due to other reasons. Holding a positive perception of aging may help reduce perceived medical discrimination because of age and race, which may in turn improve communication and lead to timely and appropriate treatment.

The Impact of Caregiving History on Later-Life Self-Perceptions of Aging.

Theories suggest that self-perceptions of aging (SPA) reflect structural and cultural ageism together with an individual's personal life experiences. We examine the impact of an individual's history of informal caregiving on their SPA. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, N = 8,372, age range 50-102 years), we investigated caregiving history as a determinant of later-life SPA. HRS participants provided reports of up to 5 episodes of caregiving, the life-course timing of each episode (start/end year), and their relationship with the care recipients. SPA was measured by the HRS Attitudes Toward Own Aging Scale. We conducted linear regressions to examine associations between specific caregiving histories and later-life SPA. Models included controls for current sociodemographic and health status. Individuals who were ever a caregiver reported more negative SPA than noncaregivers. Variations in the impact of histories of caregiving were also revealed. Specifically, compared to people who had cared for adult(s) only, HRS participants who cared for both a child with special needs and an adult reported more negative SPA later in life. The study provides insight into potential life-course precursors of SPA and highlights the importance of conceptualizing caregiving history as a complex life experience that might affect an individual's SPA later in life.

PCR144 Evaluation of the Association between Self-Perceptions of Aging and Care Deferrals Among US Adults Aged ≥50 Years during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) have been shown to influence healthcare-seeking behaviors among middle-aged and older adults. Negative SPA may intensify the COVID-19 pandemic-related healthcare disruptions in this population. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the association between SPA and care deferrals among community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study of the eligible sample was conducted using data from the 2020 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. SPA score was measured using a validated eight-item instrument with higher scores indicating negative SPA. The association between SPA and care deferrals during the COVID-19 pandemic was assessed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for respondents’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, past COVID-19-related experiences, and COVID-19 worry. The final sample consisted of 4,153 community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years. 30% reported care deferrals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among respondents who deferred care, the majority were aged 50-64 years (46.6%), females (65.4%), and White (64.5%). Most commonly reported care deferrals were dental appointments (74.5%) and physician visits (56.5%). Care deferrals were mainly due to clinic/office rescheduling or cancelling appointments (57.5%), respondent deciding the care could wait (33.8%), and COVID-19 fear (21.8%). Respondents reporting care deferrals reported higher mean SPA scores, indicating negative aging attitudes, compared those who did not defer care (Mean (SD): 3.24 (1.02) vs. 3.05 (1.04), p<0.001). After accounting for covariates, higher SPA scores were associated with significantly higher odds of care deferrals (aOR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.11 – 1.30, p<0.001). This study found that negative SPA were associated with care deferrals during the COVID-19 pandemic among community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years. As healthcare delivery rebounds to pre-pandemic levels, the role of SPA in healthcare-seeking behaviors should be recognized. Health promotion efforts may target positive aging attitudes to encourage timely and proactive use of healthcare.

Neighborhood Social Environment and Self-Perceptions of Aging.

Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) are associated with health and well-being later in life. Although prior studies have identified individual-level predictors of SPA, the role of neighborhood social context in SPA remains largely unexplored. A neighborhood social environment may act as a critical avenue for older adults to remain healthy and socially active, contributing to their evaluations of how they grow old. The present study aims to fill the previous research gap by examining the relationship between neighborhood social environment and SPA, and how age may moderate this relationship. This study is guided by Bronfenbrenner's Ecology of Human Development theory and Lawton's Ecological Model of Aging, positing that an individual's aging experience is deeply rooted in their residential environment. Our sample includes 11,145 adults aged 50+ from the 2014 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We included 4 social and economic aspects of neighborhoods: (1) neighborhood poverty; (2) percentage of older adults; (3) perceived social cohesion; and (4) perceived disorder. Multilevel linear regression models showed that respondents in neighborhoods with higher percentages of the older population and with perceptions of high neighborhood disorder reported more negative SPA. Those who perceived their neighborhoods as more socially cohesive reported more positive SPA. Controlling for individual socioeconomic and health status, only neighborhood social cohesion remained significant. We also found significant interaction effects between neighborhood social cohesion and age: The effects of neighborhood cohesion on SPA were stronger in middle age than in old age. Our findings provide insights into how neighborhood social context is associated with SPA, suggesting that a socially cohesive neighborhood may be important to promote more favorable perceptions of aging, particularly for middle-aged residents.

Changes in perceived ageism during the COVID-19 pandemic: impact on quality of life and mental well-being among Dutch adults aged 55 and older

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic brought ageism to the forefront of public discourse. Negative ageism incurs more negative self-perceptions of aging, which affects physical and mental functioning. Whether negative ageism as perceived and experienced by older adults has worsened as the pandemic lingered, and how such changes impact quality of life (QoL) and mental well-being (MWB), remain urgent questions. Method: In a sample of adults aged 55 or older (n = 500), we aimed to address this by administering the Perceived Ageism Questionnaire twice during the pandemic (T1: between October 2020 and May 2021; T2: on average 45 wk after T1). Results: Higher levels of perceived negative ageism were associated with lower QoL and MWB, at least partially through its unfavorable effects on self-perceptions of aging, even after controlling for ageism experiences in the preceding year (at T2, corrected for T1). Furthermore, we found that perceived negative ageism increased from T1 to T2, which had negative implications for QoL/MWB. Opposite effects were found for perceived positive ageism, although less consistently. Conclusion: These patterns reveal that ageism as perceived and experienced by adults of 55 or older became stronger and more negative throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which had detrimental implications for individuals’ QoL and MWB. These disconcerting findings emphasize the importance of combatting negative ageism in our society.

Changes in Self-Perceptions of Aging Among Black and White Older Adults: The Role of Volunteering.

Given the health consequences of self-perceptions of aging (SPA), understanding how SPA change among Black and White older adults may shed light on racial disparities in late-life health. The current study is the first to assess whether Black older adults exhibit less favorable patterns of change in SPA than White older adults. We also tested whether the salubrious effect of volunteering on SPA would be particularly salient among Black older adults. A pooled sample of adults aged 50+ (N=10,183; Black: n=1,672, White: n=8,511) from the Health and Retirement Study rated positive and negative SPA once every 4years across 3 waves (2008/2010, 2012/2014, and 2016/2018). We assessed participants' reports on volunteering status in each wave. Growth curve models revealed that positive SPA decreased over time whereas negative SPA increased. Black older adults reported more positive and less negative SPA at baseline and flatter time-related changes than their White counterparts. We found that volunteering was significantly associated with more positive and less negative SPA across waves, but this effect was only evident in White older adults. Findings revealed vulnerabilities in White older adults as they experience and perceive age-related changes but also identified volunteering as a way to uniquely protect them. More research is needed to refine our understanding of racial disparities in the United States and help tailor interventions intended to maximize benefits to older adults from diverse backgrounds.

PHYSICAL FUNCTION, SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING, AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Poor physical function has been linked to greater depressive symptoms among older adults. On the other hand, older adults’ perceptions of positive and negative age-related changes provide personal strength and vulnerability to stressful events, respectively. We therefore expected that positive self-perceptions of aging (SPA) would be associated with fewer depressive symptoms, while negative SPA would be related to greater depressive symptoms, beyond the effect of physical function. We further tested the hypotheses that positive SPA would buffer the association between physical function and greater depressive symptoms, whereas negative SPA would exacerbate this association. This study used data from 108 older adults (mean age = 81.09) in independent-living or retirement communities. Results from a linear regression revealed that more positive SPA (B = -0.21, p = .02) and less negative SPA (B = 0.21, p = .06) were associated with fewer depressive symptoms, even after controlling for physical function, both types of SPA, and other covariates. In contrast, physical function was no longer significantly associated with depressive symptoms (B = -0.15, p = .19), after controlling for both types of SPA. There were no significant moderating effects of positive and negative SPA. Findings suggest that how positively and negatively older adults perceive their own aging may be important for their mental health while experiencing less physical function in late life.

POSSIBLE SELVES THROUGH CAREGIVING: CAREGIVING HISTORY'S EFFECTS ON SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING

Abstract Most studies examine the consequences of self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Little is known about the antecedents. The possible selves framework suggests that earlier life experiences can shape people’s scenarios about their own aging. We examine the association between early-life informal caregiving experiences and SPA later in life using data from the HRS Retrospective Life History Mail Survey and the Psychosocial and Lifestyle Questionnaire ( N = 2,556, Mage = 72.9). Participants reported up to five periods of unpaid caregiving (≥ 6 months) with family members. SPA was measured by the HRS 8-item scale. Step-wise linear regression revealed that compared with people who had not been caregivers, early-life caregivers reported more negative SPA later in life (β = 0.20, 95%CI[0.12, 0.29]). The association holds after controlling for health-related and demographic covariates. Future research and interventions should focus on the consequences of early-life caregiving on the caregiver’s scenarios about their own aging.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF FALLS: RACIAL/ETHNIC CONSIDERATIONS

Abstract Prevention of falls is important to independent living and good health in older age. This symposium brings together four studies on epidemiology of falls among community-dwelling older adults. The first study examined location and activity-specific fall rates among 388 older adults in Massachusetts. Compared to Asians, annual rates of indoor and outdoor falls and falls while walking were substantially higher among non-Hispanic White and Hispanics. The second study evaluated racial/ethnic differences in fear of falling, depression, lack of physical activity and negative self-perceptions of aging in 121 low-income older adults. The highest levels of fall risk were found in Hispanics and Asian Americans, fear of falling in African Americans, and depression in Hispanics. The third study assessed the relationship between objectively measured sedentary bout frequency with recurrent falls (2+ falls/year) among 2,918 men aged 79.0±5.1 years attending the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS) Year 7 (2007-2009) visit. The analysis found a likely U-shaped association between sedentary bout frequency and recurrent falls risk, with the least and most active men are at higher risk. The fourth study investigated the association between fear of falling and falls risk among Chinese and non-Chinese older adults in Singapore using data collected via an electronic survey between January and February 2022. The analysis did not find significant ethnic differences in fear of falling. Although limited by sizes, these studies found racial and ethic differences in fall rates, physical activity, fear of falling and other risk factors, which are of great interest for further investigations.

The Mediating Role of Biomarkers in the Association Between Subjective Aging and Episodic Memory.

Subjective aging, indexed by subjective age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA), is consistently related to cognition in adulthood. The present study examined whether blood biomarkers mediate the longitudinal associations between subjective aging indices and memory. Data of 5,369 individuals aged 50-94 years (mean = 66.89 years, SD = 9.22; 60% women) were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Subjective age, SPA, and demographic factors were assessed in 2012/2014. Interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, albumin, cystatin C, N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), fasting glucose, Vitamin D, hemoglobin, red cells distribution width, and epigenetic aging were assessed as part of the HRS Venuous Blood Study in 2016. Memory was measured in 2018. The mediators (except for epigenetic aging, which was assessed in a subsample) were tested simultaneously in models that accounted for demographic covariates. An older subjective age was related to worse memory partially through higher fasting glucose, higher cystatin C, higher NT-proBNP, and accelerated epigenetic aging. Negative SPA was related to worse memory through lower Vitamin D3, higher fasting glucose, higher cystatin C, higher NT-proBNP, and accelerated epigenetic aging. The biomarkers explained between 2% and 10% of subjective age and between 1% and 8% of SPA associations with memory. Additional analysis revealed that biomarkers continued to be significant mediators when physical inactivity and depressive symptoms were included as additional mediators. The present study adds to existing research on the association between subjective aging and memory by providing new evidence on the biological mediators of this association.

The prospective relationship between subjective aging and inflammation: Evidence from the health and retirement study.

This study tested the prospective associations and potential mediators between subjective aging, indexed by subjective age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA), and a range of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive proteins (CRP) and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines among older adults. Participants (N=6099, 59% women, age range=50 to 94, Mean Age=65.32, SD=8.85) were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study. Subjective age, SPA, and demographic factors were assessed in 2008/2010. Assessments of soluble transformation growth factor-beta 1 (sTGF-β1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNFR1), and high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) were measured in 2016. Potential mediators (body mass index, disease burden, physical inactivity, and depressive symptoms) were asssessed at baseline and in 2012/2014. Linear regression analyses indicated that an older subjective age and negative SPA were related to higher level of IL-10, IL-1Ra, IL-6, sTNFR1 and hsCRP. These associations were mediated by higher disease burden and physical inactivity. Negative SPA (but not subjective age) was associated with lower sTGF-β1. The link between subjective aging and inflammatory markers was relatively independent from chronological age. The present study provides new evidence that subjective aging is prospectively associated with inflammation, including systemic inflammation and pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines.

How Do Marital Transitions Affect Self-Perceptions of Aging?

We analyzed whether marital status and experiences of marital loss or gain were associated with self-perceptions of aging (SPA), a major psychosocial mechanism of healthy aging. We used data from 7028 participants of the Health and Retirement Study. Participants reported their marital status and their positive and negative SPA on two occasions 4years apart. We ran general linear models to analyze differences in SPA between men and women who remained married, became divorced or widowed, or remarried following divorce or widowhood. Participants who experienced marital loss had lower positive SPA than participants who remained marred. Participants who experienced marital gain had lower negative SPA than participants who remained married. None of the associations differed between men and women. Results suggest that it may not be marital status itself, but rather the transition into or out of marriage, that impacts how people appraise their own aging.

Depression and Cognition Mediate the Effect of Self-Perceptions of Aging Over Frailty Among Older Adults Living in the Community in China.

ObjectivesThe aims of the study were first to investigate the association between self-perceptions of aging and frailty and second to determine whether self-perceptions of aging affects frailty via depressive symptoms and cognitive status among older adults living in the community in China.MethodsAmong 850 older adults who participated in this cross-sectional study, 822 older adults made valid responses to Tilburg Frailty Indicator, Brief Aging Perceptions Questionnaire, UCLA loneliness scale-8, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 between March to December 2019. The possible pathways of self-perceptions of aging affecting frailty were analyzed based on the structural equation modeling analysis.ResultsA total of 21.53% of older adults reported frailty. Correlation analyses showed that higher degrees of frailty were related to greater loneliness, more depressive symptoms, more negative self-perceptions of aging, worse locomotive function, and cognitive status (r = 0.267, r = 0.440, r = 0.481, r = 0.451, r = −0.337; p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that loneliness, depressive symptoms, self-perceptions of aging, locomotive function, and cognitive status were the five factors to be entered the regression equation, and the variance of joint explanation was 46.60%. SPA had a direct effect on frailty (β = 0.306 and p < 0.001), and SPA indirectly affects frailty by independently affecting depressive symptoms (β = 0.391, 95% CI [0.027, 0.061], and p < 0.001) or cognitive status (β = 0.148, 95% CI [0.009, 0.024], and p < 0.001) of older adults.ConclusionThese findings help explain the potential psychological mechanisms through which SPA impacts frailty and may aid community healthcare providers in China in identifying individuals at high risk of frailty. The results suggest that health staff should help older adults improve their perspectives on aging, alleviate or prevent depressive symptoms, and improve cognitive status to delay the progress of frailty and promote healthy aging.