Bidirectional Associations Between Self-Perceptions of Aging and Processing Speed Across 3 Years

GeroPsych ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna L. Seidler ◽  
Julia K. Wolff
Keyword(s):  
Processing Speed ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Path Model ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Bidirectional Associations

Abstract. Background: Previous studies point to a potential relationship between self-perceptions of aging (SPA) and cognitive performance. However, most of these studies are limited by their experimental design. Previous longitudinal studies looked solely at memory as an outcome variable without examining the directionality of effects. The present study examines the direction of effects between two domains of SPA (personal growth and physical losses) and processing speed (PS). Methods: The sample consists of 8,198 participants of the German Ageing Survey (DEAS), aged between 40 and 93 years. A cross-lagged path model was estimated to examine directions of relationships across 3 years via chi-squared difference tests for each domain of SPA. Results: In the unconstrained models, the effect of SPA domain personal growth in 2008 on PS in 2011 and vice versa were marginally significant. For SPA domain physical losses, the effect of SPA on PS was significant, whereas the other direction of the effect did not reach significance. However, the cross-lagged paths of both domains of SPA on PS and vice versa could be set equal without a significant loss of model fit. The resulting associations indicate a significant bidirectional relationship between both domains of SPA and PS. Discussion and conclusion: This study provides initial evidence that SPA can influence trajectories of cognitive decline and vice versa. The results emphasize the detrimental and beneficial effects that stereotypes can have on individuals and add further evidence to the theory of stereotype embodiment.

scholarly journals Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging Play a Significant Role in Predicting Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11151
Author(s):  
Emma Nilsson ◽  
Helena Igelström ◽  
Irene Vikman ◽  
Agneta Larsson ◽  
Mascha Pauelsen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Performance ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) is associated with various health-related outcomes, including physical performance. No previous study has investigated the potential predictive influence of SPA on physical performance among Swedish community-dwelling older adults. This was a cross-sectional study using a random sample of 153 Swedish community-dwelling individuals aged 70 and older. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed, using the subscale “Attitude Towards Own Aging” of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale, as a measure of SPA. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was dichotomized and used as the outcome variable. SPA was a significant predictor (OR = 1.546, CI = 1.066–2.243) of physical performance, adjusted for age, cognitive function, and life-space mobility. Further analyses revealed significant sex differences, with SPA not being included in the model for the men whilst it was still a significant predictor (OR = 1.689, CI = 1.031–2.765) of physical performance in the group of women. SPA plays a significant role in predicting physical performance among Swedish community-dwelling older adults. To further clarify this relationship and its consequences, future longitudinal research should focus on the relationship between SPA, physical performance, and fall risk.

Positive, but Not Negative, Self-Perceptions of Aging Predict Cognitive Function Among Older Adults

2020 ◽  
pp. 009141502091768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kellie E. Brown ◽  
Jeehoon Kim ◽  
Tara Stewart ◽  
Erika Fulton ◽  
Anna C. McCarrey
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Neuropsychological Battery ◽  
Short Delay ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging

Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) refer to attitudes about one’s aging process and are linked to physical health and longevity. How SPA correlates with cognitive function in older adulthood is less well known. 136 older adults were administered a multifaceted SPA measure, The Brief Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (B-APQ), in addition to a demographic form and a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Positive and negative subscales of the B-APQ were correlated with aspects of cognitive function. Regression analyses revealed that only the positive B-APQ subscales predicted mental status ( β = .19, p < .05), short-delay memory ( β = .16, p < .05), processing speed ( β = −.21, p < .05), and two measures of executive function ( β = −.21, p < .01; β = .18, p < .05). This is the first study to demonstrate that positive dimensions of SPA relate to cognitive function in older adulthood.

scholarly journals The Longitudinal Associations of Self-Perceptions of Aging and the Age Composition of Social Networks

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 620-620
Author(s):  
Ella Cohn-Schwartz ◽  
Markus Schafer ◽  
Liat Ayalon
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Change Score ◽  
Age Composition ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Score Model ◽  
Age Segregation ◽  
Bidirectional Associations

Abstract Relying on the age segregation theory (limited contact between the generations), this study examined the temporal associations between the age composition of one’s social ties and one’s self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Data came from the 2014 and 2017 waves of the German Ageing Survey (DEAS). Age composition of the network was assessed as the number of kin and non-kin in the social network who are either five years older or five years younger than the respondent. A latent change score model assessed the bidirectional associations. Adults who had younger social network members, both kin and non-kin, had better SPA three years later. A positive SPA at baseline also predicted a higher number of younger non-kin relationships over time. These results stress the role of SPA in adults’ social network as well as the role of the age of social network members in shaping adults’ SPA.

Exploring the Reciprocal Associations of Perceptions of Aging and Social Involvement

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ella Schwartz ◽  
Liat Ayalon ◽  
Oliver Huxhold
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Change Score ◽  
Social Involvement ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Score Model ◽  
Bidirectional Associations ◽  
German Ageing Survey ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Objective Positive perceptions of aging are known to have beneficial effects for older adults’ health and well-being, but less is known regarding their social correlates. The current study aimed to disentangle the bidirectional associations of perceptions of aging with informal and formal social involvement. Method Data for this study came from the 2008 and 2014 waves of the German Ageing Survey (DEAS). Informal social involvement was assessed as the frequency of providing advice and emotional support to others. Formal social involvement was measured as the number of groups and organizations one participates in and the frequency of attending them. A latent change score model was used to assess the bidirectional links between the constructs. Results Adults with more positive aging perception at baseline were likely to become more informally and formally socially involved over time. Informal social involvement predicted better perceptions of aging, but not formal social involvement. These trends were consistent across age groups. Conclusions The results suggest that having positive expectations regarding one’s aging might encourage adults to maintain a more engaged and socially productive lifestyle. In addition, informal social involvement, characterized by the provision of advice and support to others, is beneficial for experiencing the aging process more positively.

Neuroticism and poor health: Self-perceptions of aging as a mediator

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Alex Evans ◽  
Tara L. Stewart ◽  
Ayla L. Washam ◽  
Trent Boot ◽  
Emily Rittenhouse
Keyword(s):  
Poor Health ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging

scholarly journals Historical Changes in Aging Trajectories of Two Aspects of Self-Perceptions of Aging

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 602-602
Author(s):  
Oliver Huxhold ◽  
Svenja Spuling ◽  
Susanne Wurm
Keyword(s):  
Birth Cohort ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Sequential Data ◽  
Historical Changes ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Cohort Differences ◽  
Ongoing Development ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging

Abstract In recent years many studies have shown that adults with more positive self-perceptions of aging (SPA) increase their likelihood of aging healthily. Other studies have documented historical changes in individual resources and contextual conditions associated with aging. We explored how these historical changes are reflected in birth-cohort differences in aging trajectories of two aspects of SPA – viewing aging as ongoing development or as increasing physical losses. Using large-scale cohort-sequential data assessed across 21 years (N ≈ 19,000), the analyses modeled birth-cohort differences in aging trajectories of SPA from 40 to 85 years of age. The results illustrated differential birth-cohort differences: Later-born cohorts may experience more potential for ongoing development with advancing age than earlier-born cohorts. However, later-born cohorts seem to view their own aging as more negative than earlier-born cohorts during their early forties but may associate their aging less with physical losses after the age of fifty.

scholarly journals The Association Between Recent Family Death and Self-Perceptions of Aging Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 450-450
Author(s):  
Shu Xu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Child Death ◽  
Parental Death ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Family Loss

Abstract The loss of a family member may have a significant influence on one’s aging experience in life. Self-perceptions of aging, which are an individual’s beliefs or evaluation of their experiences of aging, have been described as an important factor for one’s health and daily life. However, there is little research on the association between family death and self-perceptions of aging. This study examines the relationships between recent family death, self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved among middle-aged and older adults. Using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we conducted cross-sectional analysis on adults age 50 years and older (n=1,839). Self-perceptions of aging were accessed by 8 items derived from the Attitudes Toward Own Aging subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale and the Berlin Aging Study, and we considered recent family death (i.e., parental death, spousal death, sibling death and child death), as well as gender of the bereaved. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that respondents who experienced recent family death report less positive self-perceptions of aging compared to those who did not experience recent family death (t = 12.40, p &lt; .01). Recent parental death was more negatively related with self-perceptions of aging for bereaved women than for bereaved men (χ2 = 4.28, p &lt; .05). Findings suggest that middle-aged and older adults experiencing recent family loss have less positive self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved plays an important role in the relationship between parental death and self-perceptions of aging.

scholarly journals Brain Training and Sulforaphane Intake Interventions Separately Improve Cognitive Performance in Healthy Older Adults, Whereas a Combination of These Interventions Does Not Have More Beneficial Effects: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 352
Author(s):  
Rui Nouchi ◽  
Qingqiang Hu ◽  
Toshiki Saito ◽  
Natasha Yuriko dos Santos Kawata ◽  
Haruka Nouchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Brain Training ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Double Blinded

Background: Earlier studies have demonstrated that a single-domain intervention, such as a brain-training (BT) game alone and a sulforaphane (SFN) intake, positively affects cognition. This study examined whether a combined BT and SFN intake intervention has beneficial effects on cognitive function in older adults. Methods: In a 12-week double-blinded randomized control trial, 144 older adults were randomly assigned to one of four groups: BT with SFN (BT-S), BT with placebo (BT-P), active control game (AT) with SFN (AT-S), and active control game with placebo (AT-P). We used Brain Age in BT and Tetris in AT. Participants were asked to play BT or AT for 15 min a day for 12 weeks while taking a supplement (SFN or placebo). We measured several cognitive functions before and after the intervention period. Results: The BT (BT-S and BT-P) groups showed more improvement in processing speed than the active control groups (AT-S and AT-P). The SFN intake (BT-S and AT-S) groups recorded significant improvements in processing speed and working memory performance unlike the placebo intake groups (BT-P and AT-P). However, we did not find any evidence of the combined intervention’s beneficial effects on cognition. Discussion: We discussed a mechanism to improve cognitive functions in the BT and SFN alone interventions.

scholarly journals Longitudinal Correlates of Loneliness and Psychological Distress During the Lockdown Situation due to COVID-19. Effects of Age and Self-Perceptions of Aging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés Losada-Baltar ◽  
José Ángel Martínez-Huertas ◽  
Lucía Jiménez-Gonzalo ◽  
María del Sequeros Pedroso-Chaparro ◽  
Laura Gallego-Alberto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Stressful Situation ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Personal Variables ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging

Abstract Objectives To longitudinally analyze the correlates of loneliness and psychological distress in people exposed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, exploring the effects of age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Methods A longitudinal follow-up of 1,549 participants was carried out at four different time points during the lockdown in Spain. Questions about the risk of COVID-19, age, SPA, family and personal resources, loneliness, and psychological distress were measured. Results Changes in loneliness showed a linear longitudinal trajectory through time, but changes in psychological distress showed a U-shaped relationship with time. Age was a relevant predictor of differences in distress, with older people reporting less psychological distress. Change in both dependent variables was related to change in different predictors like family and personal variables and also to negative SPA. Discussion In a stressful situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults may be more resilient to adverse mental health outcomes by using more adaptive resources that strengthen their resilience. Support is provided for the importance of stereotyped views of the aging process that, independently of chronological age, may put people at risk of suffering adverse mental health outcomes such as loneliness and psychological distress in times of crisis.

scholarly journals The Role of Self-Perceptions of Aging for Recovery of Older Adults After a Hospital Stay

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 588-588
Author(s):  
Anne Blawert ◽  
Ellen Freiberger ◽  
Susanne Wurm
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Hospital Stay ◽  
Physical Function ◽  
Fear Of Falling ◽  
Health Events ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
One Year ◽  
Psychological Pathway

Abstract For older adults, a hospital stay can lead to loss of physical function and frailty. It is therefore important to investigate factors for recovery after hospitalization. Recent studies suggest negative self-perceptions of aging (SPA) as a potential risk factor in the context of serious health events. This ongoing longitudinal study investigates how negative SPA might contribute to worse physical recovery (assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery) after hospital stay in a sample of 244 German adults aged 75 to 96. Preliminary mediation analysis based on available data of the first 50 participants indicate that negative SPA is related to increased fear of falling after 6 months, which predicts worse physical function one year after hospitalization (indirect effect: B = -0.70, SE = 0.41, p = .09). The results stress the importance of SPA for health recovery in old age and introduce fear of falling as a psychological pathway.

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