scholarly journals Cohort Differences in Psychosocial Function over 20 Years: Current Older Adults Feel Less Lonely and Less Dependent on External Circumstances

Gerontology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 354-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gizem Hülür ◽  
Johanna Drewelies ◽  
Peter Eibich ◽  
Sandra Düzel ◽  
Ilja Demuth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
West Germany ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
External Control ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Psychosocial Function ◽  
Cohort Differences ◽  
Aging Study

Background: Lifespan psychological and life course sociological perspectives indicate that individual development is shaped by social and historical circumstances. Increases in fluid cognitive performance over the last century are well documented and researchers have begun examining historical trends in personality and subjective well-being in old age. Relatively less is known about secular changes in other key components of psychosocial function among older adults. Objective: In the present study, we examined cohort differences in key components of psychosocial function, including subjective age, control beliefs, and perceived social integration, as indicated by loneliness and availability of very close others. Methods: We compared data obtained 20 years apart in the Berlin Aging Study (in 1990-1993) and the Berlin Aging Study II (in 2013-2014) and identified case-matched cohort groups based on age, gender, cohort-normed education, and marital or partner status (n = 153 in each cohort, mean age = 75 years). In follow-up analyses, we controlled for having lived in former East versus West Germany, physical diseases, cohort-normed household income, cognitive performance, and the presence of a religious affiliation. Results: Consistently across analyses, we found that, relative to the earlier-born BASE cohort (year of birth: mean = 1916; SD = 3.38 years; range = 1901-1922), participants in the BASE-II sample (year of birth: mean = 1939; SD = 3.22 years; range = 1925-1949) reported lower levels of external control beliefs (d = -1.01) and loneliness (d = -0.63). Cohorts did not differ in subjective age, availability of very close others, and internal control beliefs. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings suggest that some aspects of psychosocial function of older adults have improved across the two recent decades. We discuss the possible role of sociocultural factors that might have led to the observed set of cohort differences.

scholarly journals Views on Aging and Well-Being in the Covid Crisis – A Longitudinal Study in Luxembourg

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 961-961
Author(s):  
Anna Kornadt ◽  
Martine Hoffmann ◽  
Elke Murdock ◽  
Josepha Nell ◽  
Isabelle Albert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Loss ◽  
Physical Decline

Abstract During the Covid-Crisis, stereotypes of older adults as helpless and vulnerable were spread, and intergenerational conflict was stirred more or less openly. We thus focused on perceived ageism during the crisis and its effects on well-being and health of older adults. Since views on aging are multifaceted and can be both, risk and resource for individual development, we assessed people’s self-perceptions of aging (SPA) as social loss, continued growth and physical decline and subjective age (SA). We hypothesized that people with SPA of social loss and physical decline would be more susceptible to negative effects of perceived ageism, whereas those with SPA of continued growth and younger SA would be less affected. NT1 = 611 community-dwelling adults aged 60 – 98 (Mage = 69.92 years) were recruited in June 2020 online and via phone in Luxembourg. In September 2020, participants will be contacted again for a follow-up. Analyses with cross-sectional data show that participants who felt more discriminated reported lower life satisfaction after the onset of the crisis (r = -.35) and worse subjective health (r = -.14). SPA of social loss and higher SA increased the negative effect of ageism on well-being (beta = -.57) and subjective health (beta = -.53), respectively. Our results point to mid- and long-term consequences of age discriminatory and stereotype-based crisis communication for the well-being of older adults and the importance of individual SPA in critical situations.

Age Differences in Locus of Control and Self-Monitoring in China

1997 ◽  
Vol 81 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1089-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Li
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Locus Of Control ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
External Control ◽  
School Students ◽  
Self Monitoring

Locus of control and self-monitoring were measured in three age groups in Changchun, northeastern China: 164 junior high school students (12–15 yr.), 121 college students (16–26 yr.), and 46 adults (29–57 yr.). Analysis indicated that adults and college students scored higher on locus of control ( Ms = 10.0 and 9.2, scores indicating the number of external control beliefs affirmed) than high school students ( M = 6.1) and that adults scored lower on self-monitoring ( M = 8.7) than college and high school students ( Ms = 11.6 and 10.6). Such differences seem attributable to the interaction between individual development and some societal factors that are believed to foster external control beliefs and propensity to self-monitoring.

scholarly journals Feeling Older and Constrained: Synergistic Influences of Control Beliefs and Subjective Age on Cognition

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 387-387
Author(s):  
Eric Cerino ◽  
Erica O’Brien ◽  
David Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Perceived Constraints

Abstract Control beliefs are important correlates of cognitive health and aging. In addition, how old or young one feels is a self-perception of aging that may play a role in understanding control-cognition associations. We explored whether subjective age moderates associations among control beliefs and cognitive performance using data from the third wave of the national Midlife in the United States study. The analytic sample comprised of 2,621 adults aged 39–93 (Mage=64.06, SD=11.15; 55.51% female) that completed measures of control (mastery, perceived constraints), subjective age (how old you feel most of the time), and cognition (executive function, episodic memory) via telephone administration. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine whether mastery, perceived constraints, and subjective age were associated with cognitive performance, adjusting for chronological age, gender, education, marital status, and self-rated health. For executive function, there was a significant perceived constraints by subjective age interaction. Higher levels of perceived constraints were associated with worse executive function (Est.=-0.05, SE=0.01, p<.001), and this association was amplified among those with relatively older subjective ages (Est.-0.10, SE=0.02, p<.001). For episodic memory, higher levels of perceived constraints were associated with worse performance (Est.=-0.07, SE=0.03, p<.001), while reporting a more youthful subjective age was associated with better performance (Est.-0.10, SE=0.02, p<.001). Mastery was not associated with either cognitive domain (ps>.05). Results suggest that perceiving constraints in life may confer greatest risk to cognitive performance among adults who feel older than their actual age, whereas perceiving a more youthful subjective age may be more facilitative.

scholarly journals Awareness of Aging Mediates the Relationship Between Health and Control Beliefs: A Micro-Longitudinal Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 448-448
Author(s):  
Shenghao Zhang ◽  
Shevaun Neupert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
Daily Diary Study ◽  
Age Related ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Specific Control

Abstract Objective: Control beliefs are bidirectionally related to physical and cognitive health, but it is unclear how health influences control beliefs. Health-related experiences (physical symptoms and memory failures) on a particular day can make older adults more aware of their aging, and may subsequently lead to lower control beliefs. We propose that awareness of aging constructs (subjective age and awareness of age-related change [AARC]) could function as mediating mechanisms between health and control beliefs, and examine this relationship from both between- and within-person perspectives separately for domain-general and domain-specific control beliefs. Methods: Older adults (n=116) ranging in age from 60 to 90 (M=64.71) completed a nine-day daily diary study online, resulting in 743 total days. Participants reported their physical symptoms, memory failures, felt age, daily AARC gain and loss experiences, and control beliefs on Days 2-9. Results: Multilevel mediation results showed that between-person AARC losses mediated the relationship between physical symptoms and both domain-general and domain-specific control over physical symptoms. Between-person AARC losses also mediated the relationship between memory failures and both domain-general and domain-specific control over memory. AARC gains and subjective age did not mediate the relationship between health and control beliefs. Discussion: Our findings suggest that between-person differences in AARC losses function as underlying mechanisms linking health and control beliefs. Efforts to reduce AARC losses may lessen the negative impact of health problems on control beliefs for older adults.

scholarly journals Family and Community Support, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults: Findings From the Health, Wellbeing and Aging Study Population-Based Cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Nery Souza-Talarico ◽  
Elke Bromberg ◽  
Jair Licio Ferreira Santos ◽  
Betania Souza Freitas ◽  
Diego Ferreira Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Aging Study ◽  
Functional Family ◽  
The Impact

Background: Social networks can modulate physiological responses, protects against the detrimental consequences of prolonged stress, and enhance health outcomes. Family ties represent an essential source of social networks among older adults. However, the impact of family support on cognitive performance and the biological factors influencing that relationship is still unclear. We aimed to determine the relationship between family support, cognitive performance and BDNF levels.Methods: Cross-sectional data from three-hundred, eight-six individuals aged on average 60 years enrolled in the Health, Wellbeing and Aging Study (SABE), a population-cohort study, were assessed for family support, community support and cognitive performance. Structural and functional family support was evaluated based on family size and interactions allied to scores in the Family APGAR questionnaire. Community assistance (received or provided) assessed the community support. Cognitive performance was determined using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), verbal fluency (animals per minute) and backward digital span. Blood samples were obtained to determine BDNF levels.Results: Multivariate analysis showed that functional family support, but not structural, was associated with higher MMSE, verbal fluency and digit span scores, even controlling for potential cofounders (p < 0.001). Providing support to the community, rather than receiving support from others, was associated with better cognitive performance (p < 0.001). BDNF concentration was not associated with community support, family function, or cognitive performance.Conclusion: These findings suggest that emotional components of functional family and community support (e.g., loving and empathic relationship) may be more significant to cognitive health than size and frequency of social interactions.

scholarly journals SUBJECTIVE AGE AND COGNITIVE, PHYSICAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH IN OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S653-S653
Author(s):  
Briana N Sprague ◽  
Sara B W Troutman ◽  
Sara E Bickhart ◽  
Nathanael Jiya ◽  
Lesley A Ross
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Grip Strength ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Walk Speed ◽  
Psychosocial Function ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract Subjective age predicts cognitive, physical, and psychosocial function in older adults independent of objective age. However, the stability of this association is unknown. The goals of this study were to determine whether (1) subjective age was stable across eight years and (2) if subjective age predicted cognitive, physical, and psychosocial function in older adults. This study used data from a nationally-representative longitudinal cohort study (Health and Retirement Study) of 3,084 older adults aged 65-96 measured biannually from 2008 – 2016 with at least two waves of data. The main predictor was the proportion of subjective age compared to one’s objective age. The outcomes were dementia status (TICSm), physical function (grip strength, walk speed), and psychosocial function (Self-Perceptions of Aging). On average, the sample reported feeling 15% younger than their objective age. Among older adults who reported feeling older than the sample average, there were significant deficits in TICSm, walk speed, and self-perceptions of aging, but not in grip strength. Older adults who feel older than average have poorer cognitive, lower limb physical, and psychosocial function, and these deficits are exacerbated when those individuals feel even older compared to their own average. These results suggest that instability in subjective aging is particularly disruptive for those already at risk for poor aging, so interventions targeting the most vulnerable could promote healthy aging.

scholarly journals Feeling Young and in Control: Daily Control Beliefs Are Associated With Younger Subjective Ages

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. e13-e17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer A Bellingtier ◽  
Shevaun D Neupert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Daily Stressors ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Daily Diary Study ◽  
Daily Variations ◽  
Average Control

Abstract Objectives Daily variations in control beliefs are associated with developmental outcomes. We predicted that on days when older adults feel more in control than their personal average, they would also report feeling younger, and explored the relationship in younger adults. Method A total of 116 older and 107 younger adults completed a 9-day daily diary study. On Day 1 participants reported on demographic variables. On Days 2–9, participants reported their daily subjective age, daily control beliefs, daily stressors, and daily physical health symptoms. All measures were completed online via Qualtrics. Results were analyzed using multilevel models. Results Controlling for age, gender, education, daily stressors, daily physical health, and average control, there was a significant main effect of daily control beliefs on daily subjective age. Older adults felt significantly younger on days with a greater sense of control than usual, but this effect was absent in younger adults. For younger adults, average exposure to daily stressors and daily fluctuations in physical health were better predictors of daily subjective age. Discussion These findings suggest that higher daily control is associated with younger subjective ages in older adults, whereas other factors may play a more central role in the daily variations of younger adults’ subjective ages.

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