Self-perceptions Of Aging Research Articles

Dyadic analysis of very old parents’ and their children’s interdependence and self-perceptions of aging

The number of families with very old members is growing, and their intergenerational experiences may have significant ramifications for how the family members view their own aging. Using 114 dyads of very old parents ( Mage = 93.31) and their “old” children ( Mage = 67.78), we investigated whether one’s own (i.e., parents or children) and each other’s (i.e., children or parents) reports of relationship quality, care experiences, and health were associated with self-perceptions of aging. At the bivariate level, parents’ ratings of relationship quality and care experiences were related to some of the children’s health indicators, and vice versa. Very old parents reported less positive self-perceptions of aging than their children, and there was no within-dyad similarity in self-perceptions of aging. Individuals’ own health indicators (i.e., functional limitations, chronic conditions, and depressive symptoms) were associated with their self-perceptions of aging. For parents, their own report of more depressive symptoms was associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging. For children, their own report of more depressive symptoms as well as functional limitations was associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging. Care experiences demonstrated a partner effect for parents, such that children’s report of more caregiving burden was associated with parents’ less positive self-perceptions of aging. The findings provide initial evidence to assess the interdependence of self-perceptions of aging within parent-child ties in very late life. Despite the generational difference in the level of self-perceptions of aging, various facets of the informal care context may contribute to how older individuals view their own aging trajectory.

Effects of physical and mental health factors and family function on the self-perception of aging in the elderly of Chinese community.

BackgroundTo examine the effects of physical and mental health factors and family functioning on the self‐perception of ageing in elderly people.MethodsA random cluster sampling method was used to select elderly people aged over 60 from three communities in Handan City. Subjects were evaluated via face‐to‐face interviews using the Chinese version of the Ageing Perception Questionnaire, the Family Function Scale, the SF‐36 Short‐Form Health Survey, and a self‐compiled general questionnaire. A single factor and stepwise multiple regression analysis were evaluated using SPSS 17.0 software.ResultsAmong the 1815 elderly people surveyed, the total negative dimension score was 91.67 ± 16.58 with an index of 73.34%, which is higher than the positive dimension score (6.01 ± 0.52, 60.10%). Elderly people with varying degrees of family dysfunction accounted for 11.63%, and the score for self‐perceived ageing in elderly participants with good family function was 95.74 ± 12.63. The proportions with poor physical and mental health factors were 45.40% and 28.10%, respectively, and the scores for ageing self‐perception in elderly participants with good or moderate mental health were 89.11 ± 12.65 and 86.22 ± 12.58, respectively. A stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that age, presence of a spouse, and family function were positive protective factors for ageing self‐perception, while physical health factors were risk factors for the positive dimension of self‐perceived ageing. Age and family function were risk factors for the negative dimension of ageing self‐perception, while physical and mental health factors were protective factors for the negative dimension of self‐perceived ageing.ConclusionsYounger elderly and elderly people with good family function have positive self‐perceptions of ageing, while elderly participants with poor physical and mental health have a negative perception of ageing.

The Subjective Experience of Ageism: The Perceived Ageism Questionnaire (PAQ).

Ageism as perceived by older individuals has been recognized as a potential risk factor for physical and mental health. We aimed to develop a comprehensive scale that can quantify perceived ageism among aging individuals (55+), including both positive and negative stereotypes, prejudices, and discriminations. This effort resulted in an 8-item Perceived Ageism Questionnaire (PAQ-8), with good psychometric properties and a two-factor structure distinguishing a positive (3 items) and negative (5 items) subscale (Analysis 1; n = 500). This dimensionality was confirmed in a separate cross-validation sample (Analysis 2; n = 500). The subscales’ correlation patterns with individuals’ self-perceptions of aging and mental health variables (i.e., quality of life, mental well-being, depression, anxiety, loneliness and perceived stress) accorded with theoretical hypotheses and existing knowledge of the concept of ageism. The PAQ-8 can help to gather more standardized data of the level, role and impact of perceived ageism.

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.

Relationship between Self-Perception of Aging and Quality of Life in the Different Stages of Reproductive Aging in Mexican Women.

Biological aging has an abrupt beginning in women, changing their body and perceptions, which are not accepted easily because the actual stereotypes are focused on youth and anti-aging. Our interest was to explore what the self-perception of aging (SPA) is in middle-aged women throughout the reproductive aging stages and their association with the quality of life. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 240 women (40–69 years) living in Mexico City, who were separated according to their reproductive aging stage. An electronic version of the Spanish version of the Self-rated Attitudes Towards Old Age (SATO) and the WHO Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL) was applied to these women and was sent by WhatsApp or email. Seventeen women of the total sample (7%) had a negative self-perception of aging. There is an association between SATO and WHOQoL (r = –0.273, p < 0.0001), but in the menopausal transition stage, the association is strong in the psychological subscale, and after menopause, early and late postmenopausal women show a better association in the social subscale. Negative SPA impacts the WHOQoL psychological dimension and not the total WHOQoL score. Our findings suggest an association between SPA and quality of life in different reproductive aging stages.

Identifying predictors of self-perceptions of aging based on a range of cognitive, physical, and mental health indicators: Twenty-year longitudinal findings from the ILSE study.

Research exploring whether health predicts self-perceptions of aging (SPA) has mostly focused on single predictors and has been hampered by short observational intervals. We examined whether 20-year changes in cognitive functioning, physical and mental health predict SPA. We used data of 103 German participants who remained of a sample of 500 participants born in 1930-1932 enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development (ILSE) in 1993/1996 (mean age at fourth measurement wave = 82.5 years). Health indicators included six cognitive tests, objective and subjective physical health, and self-reported depression. We used a new and multidimensional (awareness of age-related gains and losses) and a well-established (attitudes toward own aging) measure of SPA. Linear regression analyses showed that, among the cognitive tests, decline in information processing speed (Digit Symbol) predicted less awareness of age-related gains and more awareness of age-related losses but not attitudes toward own aging. Decline in subjective but not objective physical health, predicted more awareness of age-related losses and negative attitudes toward own aging, but not awareness of age-related gains. Increase in depressive symptoms predicted more awareness of age-related losses and negative attitudes toward own aging, but not awareness of age-related gains. The size of associations suggests that objective cognitive decline has limited influence on older adults' SPA and, if so, only when the decline is related to mental slowing. Similarly, perceived physical and mental health, but not objective health, have a small-to-moderate influence on awareness of age-related losses and attitudes toward own aging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Can an Aging Leopard Change Its Spots? The Role of Mindset of Aging on Implicit and Explicit Attitudes in Older Adults.

Growth mindset of aging (MA) refers to the belief that aging processes are malleable, while fixed MA is the belief that how one ages is predetermined and unchangeable. Using experimental methods, we manipulated MA and explored its impact on implicit old-age attitudes and self-perceptions of aging. Eighty-six older adults were randomly placed into a growth or fixed MA condition. Next, we assessed implicit old-age attitudes and self-perceptions of aging. The experimental manipulation was successful in that group MA scores differed, but MA did not significantly influence implicit old-age attitudes or self-perceptions of aging. However, a regression analysis revealed a novel finding: More growth MA was related to less negative implicit old-age attitudes and more positive self-perceptions of aging. These findings are an important contribution to the MA literature, which is in its infancy.

Intergenerational family online community and older adults' overall well-being

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate the potential contribution of a membership in an online family community to older adults' overall well-being.Design/methodology/approachA total of 427 respondents over the age of 64 participated in the study (M = 74.55, SD = 7.13), answering a survey. To test the contributing of belonging to family online communities (WhatsApp), three hierarchical regression analyses were conducted, with well-being, self-perceptions of aging and loneliness as outcome variables.FindingsFindings show that belonging to an intergenerational family online community was associated with higher levels of well-being, less loneliness and better self-perceptions of aging, even once demographic characteristics and using social media were controlled for.Social implicationsThis study demonstrates the important role that the family online community membership plays in older adults' lives. This has significant implications that may contribute to intergenerational emotional solidarity.Originality/valueThe authors suggest that technology is not per se, but the intergenerational opportunities that technology facilitates that make a difference.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-06-2021-0332

Self-perceptions of ageing and perceived health status: the mediating role of cognitive functioning and physical activity

AbstractThere is evidence that perceived health status is relevant for older adults' wellbeing, and at the same time perceived health status can be influenced by self-perceptions of ageing. There is a lack of studies on the relationship between these variables. The aim of this study was to explore attitudes towards ageing and self-perceptions of ageing among Spanish middle-aged and older people, and to identify possible mediators in the relationship between self-perceptions of ageing on perceived health status. The sample comprised 1,124 individuals from 50 to 98 years old (mean = 64.84, standard deviation = 10.12) from the Ageing in Spain Longitudinal Study database, Pilot Survey (ELES-PS). Almost 70 per cent of the participants stated that old age begins at a specific chronological age and half of them considered that society treats older people with indifference. Self-perceptions of ageing, physical activity, cognitive functioning and age were significant predictors, and together these variables explained 15.9 per cent in the variance of perceived health status. The multiple mediation analysis revealed that self-perceptions of ageing predicted cognitive functioning (B = 0.848, p &lt; 0.01) and physical activity (B = 2.9046, p &lt; 0.001), and mediated the association between self-perceptions of ageing and perceived health status (B = 0.1144, standard error = 0.0147, p &lt; 0.01). Results from this study highlight the importance of perceptions and attitudes towards ageing for older adults' health and wellbeing, thus this study contributes to a better understanding of how these variables are related. In this sense, results from this study can be useful for designing interventions for fostering wellbeing. Addressing negative self-perceptions of ageing and negative attitudes towards ageing can be particularly useful because they are associated with more pessimistic expectancies about the ageing process.

Age integration in later life social networks and self-perceptions of aging: examining their reciprocal associations.

Relying on the age segregation theory (limited contact between age groups), this study examined the temporal reciprocal associations between age integration-the inclusion of older and younger people in one's personal network-and one's self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Data came from the 2014 and 2017 waves of the German Ageing Survey and focused on adults aged 60 and above (N = 5239). Age composition of the network was assessed as the number of kin and non-kin in the social network who are either more than10 years older or more than10 years younger than the respondent. A latent change score model assessed the bidirectional associations. The results showed that adults who had younger social network members, both kin and non-kin, had better SPA 3 years later. A positive SPA at baseline also predicted a higher number of younger non-kin and older non-kin relationships over time. These results stress the role of SPA in adults' social network as well as the role of age integration in shaping adults' SPA. Practitioners and policy makers should encourage connections between people of different ages and should strive to decrease the age segregation in society.

C-Reactive Protein, Subjective Aging, and Incident Cardiovascular Disease: A Mediation Model.

Negative self-perceptions of aging (SPA) and an older subjective age are associated with a greater likelihood of cardiovascular disease. We predicted that C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of stress-related inflammation, would mediate this relation. Data from up to 6 602 participants ages 50-101 in the Health and Retirement Study (2008-2018) were analyzed using logistic regressions with mediation. Subjective aging was assessed in 2008 or 2010, CRP was assessed 2 years later, and diagnosis of heart disease or stroke was assessed in the years from CRP measurement to 2018. Significant indirect effects occurred in all models, indicating that negative SPA and older subjective age are associated with a greater likelihood of heart disease and stroke through elevated levels of the inflammatory marker CRP. These findings suggest that psychological factors such as subjective aging impact cardiovascular health through physiological mechanisms, specifically markers of inflammation.

Harnessing progress: Gender, sexuality, and positive self-perceptions of aging in midlife

Drawing on interviews, this article analyzes how lesbians, gay men, straight women, and straight men construct positive views of aging during midlife, a life course period when negative perceptions of aging are salient. Interviewees engaged in harnessing progress—a process of crafting personal aging narratives that emphasize growth and improvement—which helped them to feel positively about their own aging. All interviewees shared these progress narratives, but reports differed across gender and sexuality groups. Men's narratives focused on the wisdom they gained and how that made them more relevant to older and younger generations. Regarding the latter, straight men viewed their children as beneficiaries of their progress and gay men viewed younger LGBTQ people as beneficiaries. Women's progress narratives focused on self-improvement. Whereas straight women described becoming more self-reliant with age, lesbians described learning to stand up for themselves. Overall, findings reveal how gender and sexual identities—and the lifelong benefits and burdens that accompany those identities—influence how people create positive perceptions of aging.

A Chip Off the Old Block? The Relationship of Family Factors and Young Adults' Views on Aging.

Views on aging (VoA), such as self-perceptions of aging or age stereotypes are generated in early childhood and continue to develop throughout the entire lifespan. The ideas a person has about their own aging and aging in general influence their behavior toward older persons as well as their own actual aging, which is why VoA are already important in adolescence and young adulthood. The current study investigates VoA of young adults in different domains (continued growth, physical decline, social loss) and how different family aspects are related to VoA. From February to March 2021, N = 305 young adults [aged 18–30 years, Mage(SD) = 22.20 (2.60)] participated in an online survey, in which, in addition to sociodemographic variables and family aspects (contact with grandparents, family age climate, i.e., the frequency and valence of talking about age in the family), self-perceptions of aging, age stereotypes, and the young adults’ ratings of their parents’ VoA were assessed. The results of stepwise regression analyses predicting the young adults’ VoA, revealed significant associations between the quality of contact with grandparents and the self-perceptions of aging of young adults. However, the frequency of contact was neither related to young adults’ self-perceptions of aging nor age stereotypes. Grandparents’ health status emerged as a significant moderator between the relationship of contact quality and the young adults’ self-perceptions of aging as continued growth and physical decline. Family climate was also found to be significantly related to young adults’ self-perceptions of aging. Similarities regarding VoA within the family were demonstrated, based on proxy report from the respondents. The results underline the importance of family aspects for the development of VoA in young adulthood, and the significance of interventions targeting these factors to combat ageism.

When less intergenerational closeness helps: The influence of intergenerational physical proximity and technology attributes on technophobia among older adults

Intergenerational contact for technology learning frequently transpires in various daily settings of older adults’ lives. However, older adults often hold negative age-based self-stereotype that they are less capable in technology use. Thus, they may experience age-based stereotype threats in such situations, which further induce technophobia. Previous research indicated that positive intergenerational contact can reduce age-based stereotype threat and technophobia among older adults. This research focuses on intergenerational physical proximity, a vital role in structuring intergenerational contact, to investigate how it impacts technophobia via age-based stereotype threat among older adults. In addition, the moderating effect of key attributes of technology—newness and ease of use were explored. A vignette experiment was conducted with a sample of 243 older adults. Results show that more distant intergenerational physical proximity led to lower technophobia-personal failure dimension via more positive self-perception of aging (a manifestation of less age-based stereotype threat) when the technology is of high newness and low ease of use. However, the effect of physical proximity on technophobia was insignificant when the technology is of low newness, or of high newness but high ease of use. The findings of this research can provide detailed and practical suggestions on how to reduce technophobia among older adults through effective intergenerational contact.

Subjective Aging and Objectively Assessed Hearing Function: A Prospective Study of Older Adults.

Subjective aging is consistently related to a range of health-related outcomes, but little is known about its relationship with sensory functioning. The present prospective study tested whether subjective age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA) are associated with objective hearing function. Participants were 7,085 individuals aged 50-93 years (60% women, mean = 65.15, standard deviation [SD] = 8.71) from the Health and Retirement Study. Measures of subjective age, SPA, and information on demographic factors were obtained in 2008/2010. Objective hearing function was assessed 8 years later in 2016/2018. Furthermore, potential mediating variables (C-reactive protein, body mass index, physical inactivity, and chronic conditions) were assessed in 2012/2014. In regression analyses that accounted for demographic factors, older subjective age and negative SPA were associated with lower hearing acuity 8 years later. In addition, 1 SD older subjective age and negative SPA were related to a 9% and 7% higher likelihood of hearing impairment. Mediation analyses revealed that physical inactivity and chronic conditions partially mediated subjective age and SPA associations with hearing acuity. There was little evidence that the link between subjective aging and hearing was moderated by hearing aids and partial support for a moderating role of age. This study provides new evidence that subjective aging is prospectively related to hearing function. Individuals with older subjective age or negative SPA have unfavorable behavioral and clinical profiles that explain part of their lower hearing function. Individuals' experience with their aging process is a marker of risk for impaired hearing.

Social Disconnectedness and Loneliness: Do Self-Perceptions of Aging Play a Role?

Research suggests that self-perceptions of aging (SPA) have effects on physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional well-being among older adults. Few studies have examined the effects of SPA on social well-being. This study investigates the association of SPA with trajectories of social disconnectedness and loneliness in older Americans and explores mechanisms linking SPA and the 2 forms of social isolation. We conducted Latent Growth Curve Modeling and path analysis using 3-wave data spanning 8 years (2008/2010-2016/2018) from the Health and Retirement Study. The sample included respondents aged 65 and older (N = 3,597) at baseline (2008/2010). SPA was measured by the Attitudes Toward Own Aging Scale. Social disconnectedness was an index including 6 indicators of social networks and social engagement. Loneliness was measured using the 11-item UCLA Loneliness Scale. Older adults with more negative SPA at baseline were more lonely but had slower rates of increase in loneliness during the 8-year study period. More negative SPA also predicted greater social disconnectedness but was not significantly related to the rate of change in social disconnectedness over time. The effects of SPA on social disconnectedness were primarily indirect through loneliness, whereas SPA had direct effects on loneliness. Overall, SPA had a stronger association with loneliness than with social disconnectedness. The results suggest that older adults with negative SPA are at risk of loneliness which then leads to social disconnectedness. Asking about SPA during individual assessment with older adults may help to discern issues with loneliness.

The importance of self-perceptions of aging in predicting late-life loneliness.

An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content.

Does Living Alone Affect Self-Perceptions of Aging? Findings From Two Waves of the Health and Retirement Study.

The current study examined if living alone is associated with self-perceptions of aging (SPA). The study used two-wave longitudinal data, sampled from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and collected in 2014 and 2018. In total, 6506 older adults aged 60–99 years at baseline were followed up with a 4-year lag. Results indicated that there was no significant change in SPA at follow-up regardless of changes in living arrangements. However, at follow-up, there was a significant cross-sectional difference in SPA between older adults who remained in partnership and those who transitioned to living alone due to widowhood or separation/divorce over a 4-year period. Findings suggest that SPA is relatively stable over time and is barely affected by living alone.

Effect of Older Adults’ Images of Aging on Suicidal Ideation: The Mediating Effects of Self-Perceptions of Aging

Effect of Older Adults’ Images of Aging on Suicidal Ideation: The Mediating Effects of Self-Perceptions of Aging