scholarly journals Perceived Ageism During the Covid-19-Crisis Is Longitudinally Related to Subjective Perceptions of Aging

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna E. Kornadt ◽  
Isabelle Albert ◽  
Martine Hoffmann ◽  
Elke Murdock ◽  
Josepha Nell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Measurement Occasion ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Longitudinal Regression

Ageism in media and society has increased sharply during the Covid-19-crisis, with expected negative consequences for the health and well-being of older adults. The current study investigates whether perceived ageism during the crisis longitudinally affects how people perceive their own aging. In June 2020, N = 611 older adults from Luxembourg [aged 60–98 years, Mage(SD) = 69.92(6.97)] participated in a survey on their perception of the crisis. In October 2020, N = 523 participated in a second measurement occasion. Participants reported on perceived ageism during the crisis in different domains, their self-perceptions of aging and subjective age. In latent longitudinal regression models, we predicted views on aging at T2 with perceived ageism at T1, while controlling for baseline views on aging and covariates. Perceived ageism at T1 increased self-perceptions of aging as social loss and yielded a trend for physical decline, while there were no effects on subjective age and self-perceptions of aging as continued growth. Views on aging are powerful predictors of well-being and health outcomes in later life. Our data suggest that being the target of ageism during the crisis negatively affects older adults' self-perceptions of aging and this impact may be felt beyond the current crisis.

Volunteering, Self-Perceptions of Aging, and Mental Health in Later Life

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Huo ◽  
Lisa M Soederberg Miller ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Siwei Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Panel Model ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Design And Methods

Abstract Background and Objectives Scholars argue that volunteering enhances social, physical, and cognitive activities that are increasingly valued as people age, which in turn improves older adults’ well-being via a host of psychosocial and neurobiological mechanisms. This study explicitly tested older adults’ self-perceptions of aging as a mechanism underlying the mental health benefits of volunteering. Research Design and Methods Using 2-wave data from the Health and Retirement Study (2008/2010 for Wave 1 and 2012/2014 for Wave 2), we analyzed reports from a pooled sample of older adults aged 65 or older (N = 9,017). Participants reported on demographic characteristics, volunteer work (did not volunteer, 1–99 h/year, 100+ h/year), self-perceptions of aging, and depressive symptoms. We estimated an autoregressive cross-lagged panel model. Results Volunteering for 100 h or more per year was associated with older adults’ more positive and less negative self-perceptions of aging in the subsequent wave (i.e., 4 years later), which in turn predicted fewer depressive symptoms. Discussion and Implications This study suggests the promising role of volunteering in shaping older adults’ self-perceptions of aging on a sustained basis and refines our understanding of the benefits volunteering brings. Findings shed light on future interventions aimed at improving older adults’ adjustment to age-related changes and lessening ageism in society.

Older Adults’ Self-Perceptions of Aging and Being Older: A Scoping Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. e524-e534
Author(s):  
Simone Hausknecht ◽  
Lee-Fay Low ◽  
Kate O’Loughlin ◽  
Justin McNab ◽  
Lindy Clemson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Aging Body ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Design And Methods

Abstract Background and Objectives Older adults’ self-perceptions of aging and being older can influence well-being and quality of life. This systematic scoping review aimed to map out current research on older adults’ self-perceptions of aging and being older. Research Design and Methods The scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. A total of 5,037 records were identified (duplicates removed). After screening, a final 148 papers were included. Descriptives, including year of publication, methodology, age, gender, and location of participants, were calculated. Thematic analyses were conducted examining ways in which the topic was conceptualized. Results The most frequent method used in the research was quantitative. Participants were from 38 different countries. There were more female participants than male. Seven themes representing the main research emphasis emerged: attitudes towards one’s own aging (n = 48), aging well (n = 23), aging stereotypes, self-stigma (n = 23), construction of aging identities (n = 22), subjective age (n = 18), the aging body (n = 8), and future self-views (n = 6). Discussion and Implications The research within these themes approach self-perceptions of aging using varying points of reference for what participants compare their age to. The methods used to illicit aging perspectives held their own assumptions about aging.

scholarly journals Advancing the Study of Subjective Age: More Seriously Considering Gender

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 556-556
Author(s):  
Shelbie Turner ◽  
Karen Hooker ◽  
Toni Calasanti
Keyword(s):  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Age Identity ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Socially-cued age expectations inform people’s subjective age - that is, how old they feel relative to their chronological age. Age-graded expectations are widely considered to be gendered, yet gender has not often been empirically examined as the scholarship on subjective age has developed. Because subjective age shapes the experiences a person has becoming and being an older adult, and is an important correlate of later life health, more seriously considering gender’s influence on subjective age is crucial to better understanding gender differences in older adults’ well-being. In our symposium we bring gender to the center of subjective age scholarship. Barrett, Michael, & Noblitt begin by establishing that subjective age research should portray gender as a social-level, rather than individual-level, characteristic. As a complement, Turner, Settersten, and Hooker illustrate how gender has or has not been included in the four theoretical domains of subjective age (self-perceptions of aging, old age stereotypes, age identity, and awareness of age related change), and offer insights into how gender might be included in future studies on each domain. We then shift to two papers presenting new empirical analyses on the role gender plays in subjective age. Kornadt shares how men and women’s commitment to certain social roles differentially informs their subjective age, while Settersten, Day, and Hagestad turn attention to a double standard of aging for women and men with evidence across Europe. Discussant Toni Calasanti closes by offering thoughts on the future of subjective age and gender scholarship, including considering gender beyond the binary.

There Is Still Time to Be Active: Self-Perceptions of Aging, Physical Activity, and the Role of Perceived Residual Lifetime Among Older Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 807-815
Author(s):  
Ann-Kristin Beyer ◽  
Maja Wiest ◽  
Susanne Wurm
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Residual Lifetime ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Health Promotion Interventions ◽  
The Relationship

Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) are a resource in later life. As aging is accompanied with perceptions of the finitude of life, it is assumed that perceived residual lifetime may play a role in the relationship between SPA and health behavior. Among older adults aged 65 years and older, the present study tested whether the relationships between gain- and loss-related SPA and two kinds of physical activity are moderated by perceived residual lifetime. Data were based on 2.367 participants over a 3-year period. Participants with less gain-related SPA were less likely to walk on a regular basis; however, a longer residual lifetime compensated for this negative effect. In addition, participants did sports more often if they not only held less loss-related SPA but also perceived a longer residual lifetime. These results emphasize the importance of perceived residual lifetime in health promotion interventions targeting physical activity in older adults.

scholarly journals SUBJECTIVE AGING: SOMETHING UNIQUE OR JUST ANOTHER EXPRESSION OF GENERAL SELF-BELIEFS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S786-S787
Author(s):  
Verena Klusmann ◽  
Svenja M Spuling ◽  
Catherine E Bowen ◽  
Anna E Kornadt ◽  
Eva-Marie Kessler
Keyword(s):  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Convergent And Discriminant Validity ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Subjective Aging

Abstract Using data from the German Ageing Survey (adults aged 40‒85), this study tested the convergent and discriminant validity of subjective aging measures by comparing three different measures of subjective aging with one another and relating them to established measures of general self-beliefs (optimism, self-efficacy, subjective health) and subjective well-being (depression, affect). Correlations between subjective aging measures ranged from ‒.61 (amongst general self-perceptions of aging measures) to ‒.09, with subjective age being least related to the other measures. The highest overlap was observed between optimism and global self-perceptions of aging (.69) and it was for these global self-perceptions that the highest amount of variance could be explained by correlates in a regression analysis (R-square=.55). In contrast, only 10% of variance could be explained for subjective age. Our results underline the merit of taking the multidimensional nature of subjective aging into account since global measures appear less distinct from general personality traits.

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 WHEN I’M 75: COLLEGE STUDENTS’ SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING IN AN INTRODUCTORY GERONTOLOGY COURSE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S61-S61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J Hahn ◽  
Jennifer Kinney
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
People’S Attitudes ◽  
Age Related Changes

Abstract This presentation examines college students’ self-perceptions of aging using written essays from the assignment “When I’m 75” that was assigned at the beginning and end of the semester in an introductory gerontology course. Despite robust literature on people’s attitudes toward aging and older adults, far less is known about attitudes toward one’s own aging, especially among college students. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was used to analyze the students’ perception of their aging experience in their written assignment. Three overarching superordinate themes were identified: challenges of aging, proactive steps to avoid negative consequences of aging, and housing considerations. Findings suggest that after completing an introductory gerontology course, students demonstrated an understanding of some age-related changes yet still had a stereotypical understanding of what it is like to be age 75. This suggests the need to engage students in moving beyond stereotypes and to better link older age with their own future experience.

Self-Perceptions of Aging: Factorial Structure and Invariance by Gender

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelbie G Turner ◽  
Karen Hooker ◽  
G John Geldhof
Keyword(s):  
Factor Structure ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Latent Structure ◽  
Factor Solution ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Item Scale

Abstract Background and Objectives Self-perceptions of aging (SPA)—the appraisals people place on their own aging processes—predict well-being in later life. Researchers are increasingly hypothesizing that the overarching construct of SPA is comprised of two factors—positive SPA and negative SPA—and that SPA are gendered. The purpose of this study was to empirically test the hypothesized two-factor structure of SPA and to analyze how the two-factor structure varies between men and women. Research Design and Methods Data come from the 2012 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 7,029; Mage = 68.08), which includes an 8-item SPA scale. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess (i) the positive SPA and negative SPA two-factor solution for the 8-item scale and (ii) whether the two-factor solution had configural, strong, or weak invariance across men and women. Results CFAs indicated a two-factor latent structure of the 8-item scale, with SPA being comprised of both a positive SPA factor and a negative SPA factor. The latent structure was the same for both men and women. Discussion and Implications Results suggest that SPA is a broader construct made up of positive and negative latent factors. Researchers should consider separating the SPA by positive and negative factors to analyze how each factor uniquely shapes health. Moreover, the two-factor solution was equivalent across men and women, possibly because of the generalized nature of the 8-item scale. Researchers can use the 8-item scale similarly for men and women and should continue to elucidate possible gender differences in SPA.

scholarly journals Effects of Self-Perceptions of Aging on Social Disconnectedness and Loneliness in Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 38-39
Author(s):  
Rita Hu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Linear Regression ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Research shows that self-perceptions of aging (SPA) predict physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional well-being in older adults. Few studies have examined SPA’s effects on social well-being. Using data from the 2014–2018 Health and Retirement Study, we examined SPA’s effects on older adults’ social connectedness and loneliness (age 65+, N = 3,808). SPA was measured by eight items. Social connectedness was operationalized by network size, social contact, and social participation. The UCLA Loneliness Scale assessed loneliness. Linear regression results show that more positive SPA is correlated with increased social connectedness (b = 0.05 SE = 0.01 p = 0.0003) and decreased loneliness (b = -0.09 SE = 0.02 p < 0.0001) in four years, controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics. Further, loneliness is a mediator between SPA and social connectedness. Findings suggest that older adults with negative SPA are at risk of both objective and subjective social isolation.

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