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The association between actor/partner optimism and cognitive functioning among older couples.

Jeewon Oh1, William J Chopik1, Eric S Kim2

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This summary is machine-generated.

Spousal optimism positively impacts cognitive functioning in older adults. This suggests that optimism, at both individual and couple levels, may be a key factor in maintaining cognitive health during aging.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

  • Higher optimism is linked to improved health, well-being, and cognitive function.
  • Spousal support is crucial for health, particularly in older adulthood.
  • The impact of a spouse's optimism on an individual's cognitive functioning remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between an individual's optimism and their cognitive functioning.
  • To examine whether a spouse's optimism is linked to an individual's cognitive functioning.
  • To explore the dyadic relationship between optimism and cognitive health in couples.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 4,457 heterosexual couples (N=8,914) from the Health and Retirement Study.
  • Included a large, diverse, nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged over 50.
  • Assessed optimism at baseline and measured cognitive functioning (memory, mental status) over an 8-year follow-up with repeated assessments.

Main Results:

  • Found small but positive associations between an individual's optimism and their cognitive functioning (memory: r=0.16; mental status: r=0.10).
  • Observed positive associations between a partner's optimism and an individual's cognitive functioning (memory: r=0.04; mental status: r=0.03).
  • These associations between optimism and cognitive functioning largely persisted over the 8-year follow-up period.

Conclusions:

  • Both an individual's own optimism and their partner's optimism are positively associated with cognitive functioning.
  • Optimism, considered at both individual and couple levels, may serve as an innovative intervention target.
  • Further research could leverage optimism to help older adults maintain cognitive function as they age.