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How Do Marital Transitions Affect Self-Perceptions of Aging?
Shelbie G Turner1, Dakota D Witzel1, Robert S Stawski
1School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, College of Public Health and Human Sciences, 2694Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
Research on Aging
|July 11, 2022
Summary
Marital transitions, not just status, affect self-perceptions of aging (SPA). Marital loss lowered positive SPA, while marital gain lowered negative SPA, impacting healthy aging mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) are crucial psychosocial factors influencing healthy aging.
- Marital status is a significant life event that can change throughout adulthood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between marital status transitions (loss or gain) and self-perceptions of aging (SPA).
- To determine if changes in marital status impact how individuals perceive their own aging process.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 7028 participants in the Health and Retirement Study.
- Analyzed self-reported positive and negative SPA and marital status over a 4-year period.
- Employed general linear models to compare SPA across different marital transition groups.
Main Results:
- Individuals experiencing marital loss reported lower positive SPA compared to those who remained married.
- Participants undergoing marital gain showed lower negative SPA than their continuously married counterparts.
- No significant gender differences were observed in these associations.
Conclusions:
- The transition into or out of marriage, rather than marital status alone, appears to influence an individual's appraisal of their aging.
- These findings highlight the dynamic impact of marital experiences on psychosocial mechanisms of healthy aging.
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