Reciprocal relationships between the will-to-live and successful aging

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Identifying factors that predict successful aging (SA) is crucial for theoretical and practical applications.
• The will-to-live (WTL) is a psychological construct that may influence health outcomes in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the reciprocal relationships between the will-to-live (WTL) and both objective and subjective successful aging (SA) in older adults.
• To determine if WTL predicts SA, and if SA predicts WTL over time.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study with 1,216 participants aged 75+ at baseline (T1) and 1,019 at follow-up (T2).
• Data collected on WTL, subjective SA, objective SA (medical conditions, disability, pain), and demographics.
• Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) used to analyze cross-lagged autoregressive relationships.

Main Results:

• Significant reciprocal relationships were observed between WTL, objective SA, and subjective SA.
• Higher WTL at T1 predicted higher objective and subjective SA at T2.
• Higher objective and subjective SA at T1 predicted higher WTL at T2.
• WTL had a stronger influence on subjective SA than the reverse, with equal influence on objective SA.

Conclusions:

• The will-to-live (WTL) is a significant precursor and potential maintainer of successful aging (SA) in older adults.
• Interventions aimed at enhancing successful aging should consider the role of the will-to-live.
• Findings suggest a bidirectional relationship where WTL and SA mutually reinforce each other.