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Self-regulation and eudaimonic well-being across adulthood.

Leslie D Frazier¹, Michelle L Barreto, Frederick L Newman

¹Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA. frazier@fiu.edu

Experimental Aging Research

|July 27, 2012

Summary

Self-regulatory strategies like goal adjustment and optimization influence well-being across adulthood. However, their impact, particularly through possible selves, diminishes after age 55.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Adult Development

Background:

Understanding the developmental pathways to eudaimonic well-being is crucial for adult development.
Self-regulatory processes play a key role in navigating life transitions and maintaining well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and test a model examining self-regulatory pathways to eudaimonic well-being across adulthood.
To investigate age-differential pathways in developmental self-regulation and well-being.

Main Methods:

Structural equation modeling was employed.
Data were collected from 590 adults aged 17 to 94.
Measures included goal adjustment, optimization, possible selves, and well-being.

Main Results:

A model predicting interactions between age, hoped-for possible selves, goal adjustment, optimization, and psychological well-being was supported.
Direct effects of goal adjustment on well-being were observed.
Indirect effects of goal adjustment and optimization on well-being, mediated by hoped-for possible selves, were significant, but diminished after age 55.

Conclusions:

The role of possible selves in self-motivated development significantly changes across the adult lifespan.
Future self-representations become less influential in well-being regulation in later adulthood.