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A coordinated analysis of bidirectional associations between life satisfaction and cognitive function.
Kyrsten C Hill1, Gabrielle N Pfund2, Payton D Rule3
1Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|August 14, 2025
Summary
Higher life satisfaction is linked to better cognitive function over time. Declines in one predict declines in the other, suggesting a bidirectional relationship important for healthy cognitive aging.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Life satisfaction is a modifiable aspect of well-being with implications for cognitive health.
- The bidirectional relationship between life satisfaction and cognitive function remains unclear, with mixed findings from prior longitudinal studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal, bidirectional association between life satisfaction and cognitive function in older adults.
- To examine both between-person and within-person relationships over time.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a coordinated data analytic approach across five longitudinal studies.
- Included over 60,000 individuals aged 50+ from multiple countries.
- Employed bivariate latent growth curve models and random intercept cross-lagged panel models.
Main Results:
- Modest associations were found between life satisfaction and cognitive function at both between- and within-person levels.
- Higher life satisfaction correlated with higher cognitive function, and they changed concurrently over time at the between-person level.
- Within-person, declines in life satisfaction predicted subsequent cognitive declines, and vice versa, indicating short-term predictive relationships.
Conclusions:
- Life satisfaction and cognitive function demonstrate concurrent changes over the long term and short-term reciprocal influences.
- Findings support the potential role of life satisfaction interventions in promoting healthy cognitive aging.
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