Subjective age, age identity, and middle-age adults

A casual model of subjective age among middle-age working adults is proposed. Determinants of subjective age include chronological age, education, health, self-esteem, financial satisfaction, and job satisfaction. Life satisfaction is used as an explanatory outcome. Using a sample of middle-age men, the results indicate that self-esteem and financial satisfaction were important mediators between chronological age and subjective age. In turn, positive and negative characteristics were associated with both a "younger" and "older" subjective age. The results contribute to the further understanding of adult development and the meaning of subjective age.