Accelerated increase and relative decrease in subjective age and changes in attitudes toward own aging over a 4-year...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology of Aging
• Social Gerontology

Background:

• Subjective age and attitudes toward own aging (ATOA) are linked to well-being.
• The dynamic relationship between changes in ATOA and subjective age over time remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how changes in positive attitudes toward own aging (ATOA) influence shifts in subjective age.
• To examine the association between a decrease in positive ATOA and an accelerated increase in subjective age.
• To explore the link between an increase in positive ATOA and a relative decrease in subjective age.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal analysis of data from the Health and Retirement Study (2008-2012) involving 4174 participants aged 50 and over.
• Categorization of subjective age change into accelerated increase (>5 years), relative decrease (<3 years), or no change.
• Statistical examination of the relationship between changes in ATOA and subjective age trajectories.

Main Results:

• A decrease in positive ATOA was associated with an accelerated increase in subjective age.
• An increase in positive ATOA was linked to a relative decrease in subjective age.
• Older age, increased physical impairments, and depressive symptoms predicted an accelerated increase in subjective age.

Conclusions:

• Attitudes toward own aging (ATOA) significantly influence subjective age experiences.
• Interventions aimed at improving ATOA may help mitigate accelerated increases in subjective age.
• The findings underscore the psychological impact of aging attitudes on self-perception over time.