Older Adults' Self-Perceptions of Aging and Being Older: A Scoping Review

Older adults' self-perceptions of aging and being older can influence well-being and quality of life. This systematic scoping review aimed to map out current research on older adults' self-perceptions of aging and being older.

The scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. A total of 5,037 records were identified (duplicates removed). After screening, a final 148 papers were included. Descriptives, including year of publication, methodology, age, gender, and location of participants, were calculated. Thematic analyses were conducted examining ways in which the topic was conceptualized.

The most frequent method used in the research was quantitative. Participants were from 38 different countries. There were more female participants than male. Seven themes representing the main research emphasis emerged: attitudes towards one's own aging (n = 48), aging well (n = 23), aging stereotypes, self-stigma (n = 23), construction of aging identities (n = 22), subjective age (n = 18), the aging body (n = 8), and future self-views (n = 6).

The research within these themes approach self-perceptions of aging using varying points of reference for what participants compare their age to. The methods used to illicit aging perspectives held their own assumptions about aging.