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How do negative self-perceptions of aging become a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Susanne Wurm1, Lisa M Warner1, Jochen P Ziegelmann1
1German Centre of Gerontology.
Psychology and Aging
|October 17, 2013
Summary
Negative self-perceptions of aging (SPA) can hinder older adults from using crucial self-regulation strategies (SOC), negatively impacting health and life satisfaction after serious illness.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology of Aging
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Long-term effects of self-perceptions of aging (SPA) on successful aging indicators are documented.
- Mechanisms linking SPA to health and life satisfaction remain underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if negative SPA impair self-regulation strategies (selection, optimization, compensation - SOC) following a serious health event.
- To determine if this impairment acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy for health and life satisfaction.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal nationwide study with 309 older adults (65+) experiencing multiple illnesses.
- Two measurement points over a 6-month period.
- Examined the role of SOC strategies and SPA in relation to health events.
Main Results:
- Serious health events predicted increased SOC strategy use, leading to better self-rated health and life satisfaction.
- Negative SPA moderated this effect; perceptions of physical aging loss reduced SOC strategy use after health events (B = -0.43, p < .01).
Conclusions:
- Negative SPA, particularly beliefs about physical decline, may impede health-promoting self-regulation strategies.
- Findings elucidate mechanisms of SPA on health, suggesting interventions to challenge negative SPA could support older adults with serious illnesses.
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