Age Differences in Life Satisfaction, Locus of Control, and Self-Concept

Abstract

The literature regarding age differences in life satisfaction, locus of control and self-concept reveal seriously conflicting results while that on the relationships among these dependent measures has largely supported Erikson's proposals regarding the psychosocial crisis of ego integrity versus despair. A total of ninety-nine V. A. Domiciliary residents, with thirty-three in each of three age groups (50-59, 60-69 and 70+), completed measures of life satisfaction, locus of control and self-concept. Multivariate analysis of covariance demonstrated a significant age difference with the older veterans, who were less well educated and institutionalized longer, more positive on the composite of the three measures. Univariate analysis, however, resulted in significant age differences in self-concept and life satisfaction but not in locus of control. Based upon these findings and the relationships among the dependent variables, the older veterans appear to have resolved the ego integrity versus despair crisis more adequately in spite of having lived for a longer period of time in what has often been viewed as a sterile, blunting environment. Perhaps, contrary to popular assumptions, an institution may provide an environment that facilitates and nourishes the self-esteem and satisfaction of elderly residents.

Ego Integrity in the Lives of Older Women

“…When ego integrity is the focus of study, researchers have used proxies of it e.g., self-esteem or indicators of depression (Nehrke, Bellucci, & Gabriel, 1978;Nehrke, Hulicka, & Morganti, 1984;Wagner, Lorion, & Shipley, 1983) or have developed measures of it (Darling-Fisher & Leidy, 1988;Viney & Tych, 1985). Some of these measures employ self-rating scales while others use content analysis of interview data (Viney & Tych, 1985;Walaskay, Whithourne, & Nehrke, 1983).…”

Ego Integrity in the Lives of Older Women: A Follow-Up of Mothers From the Sears, Maccoby, and Levin (1951) Patterns of Child Rearing Study

“…When EI is the focus of study, researchers have used proxies of it e.g., self-esteem or indicators of depression (Nehrke, Bellucci, & Gabriel, 1978;Nehrke, Hulicka, & Morganti, 1984;Wagner, Lorion, & Shipley, 1983) or have developed measures of it (Darling-Fisher & Leidy, 1988;Viney & Tych, 1985). Since our study was designed to study a range of issues in a classic longitudinal study, we sought a measure that allowed for self-ratings, which had been used in more than one study, and which reported acceptable reliability and validity.…”

Personality development among the Japanese elderly: A ten-year longitudinal study on a sentence completion test

“…Reviewing studies dealing with age-related changes in self-concept, there is evidence both that self-concept is generally negative after age fifty (Bloom 1961) and that self-concept is more positive with increasing age (Hess & Bradshaw 1970;Shimonaka & Nakazato 1980Nehrke 1980). L'Ecuyer (1981) examined the development of the self-concept in 43 dimensions throughout the life span.…”