[Correlates of life satisfaction in middle age]

A sample of 104 men and 114 women aged 42;8 to 56;6 years was interviewed about their life satisfaction, responded to a life satisfaction questionnaire and gave informations about biographical experiences in the areas "experiences of loss", "indicators of aging", "experiences of bodily vulnerability" and "death-related experiences". A negative relationship was found between satisfaction with one's past and experiences of loss as well as between satisfaction with one's presence and indicators of aging. Life satisfaction which is directed to the presence is stronger in men between 43 and 46 years than in men between 53 and 56 years. Life satisfaction which is directed to the past is stronger in men between 53 and 56 years. Subjects with a small number of negative life experiences (the "psychologically young") had a higher life satisfaction than subjects with a great deal of negative life experiences (the "psychologically old"). Results were discussed in respect to age-dependent changes in life satisfaction and in respect to a more relative view of the age variable.