Age Identification in the Framework of Successful Aging. A Study of Older Finnish People

Abstract

A person-oriented approach was used in a study of age identification among community-dwelling older people. The study was based on 8-year follow-up data; 843 persons aged 65-84 were involved in the first phase of the study, and 426 persons aged 73-92, in the second phase. Loosely, on the basis of the distinction between successful, usual, and pathological aging (Rowe & Kahn, 1987, 1997), participants were grouped according to their self-ratings of cognitive and physical functioning as "Positive," "Negative," and "Others." Participants possessing at least 4 out of the 5 criteria used as indicators of successful aging in the study (no illness or injury presenting problems in daily life, no health problems imposing limitations on hobbies, self-rated cognitive functioning better than satisfactory, age-comparative functional capacity as good, and no signs of depression) were assigned to the "Positive" group. The results showed these individuals typically to have a more youthful age identity, indicated by a lower feel age and thus a lower subjective age-perception score, lower mental, physical, and look ages, and a less frequently reported sense of age weighing on them. Moreover, this group reported a higher ideal age and had a chronological age satisfaction score closer to 0, suggesting higher satisfaction with chronological age. Also a tendency to set the onset of old age later and a willingness to live to 100 years of age were features that were more characteristic of the "Positive" than the other groups. The findings, supported by multivariate analyses, were in line with those of previous variable-oriented studies on age identification, suggesting that an association exists between perceptions of personal aging and physical and psychological well-being.

Prevalence and correlates of successful ageing: a comparative study between China and South Korea

“…whether the respondent felt fearful, lonely, or useless in daily life (see Zeng et al 2013). A successful ager should have none of these depressive symptoms (see Uotinen et al 2003). 4.…”

People over forty feel 20% younger than their age: Subjective age across the lifespan

“…Montepare and Lachman (1989) have summarized this view: "Theorists in the aging field have suggested that the tendency of aging adults to maintain younger subjective age identities is a form of defensive denial by which they can dissociate themselves from the stigma attached to growing old" (p. 73). Following this age-denial view, a youthful subjective age is an indicator of successful aging (e.g., Uotinen, Suutama, & Ruoppila, 2003), which is consistent with studies showing that subjective age is a better predictor of psychological and physical functioning in old age than is chronological age (e.g., Barak & Stern, 1986;Markides & Boldt, 1983;Peters, 1971; but see Knoll, Rieckmann, & Scholz, 2004). Under this age-denial view, there is no reason to suspect a discrepancy between subjective and chronological age in childhood and early adulthood, but the discrepancy should accelerate with older ages.…”

Transitions, Wellness, and Life Satisfaction: Implications for Counseling Midlife Women

“…A large amount of research supports the validity of using subjective age as a means of understanding the behaviors and attitudes of adults across their lifespan (Birren & Cunningham, 1985;George, Mutran, & Pennypacker, 1980;Henderson et al, 1995;Kastenbaum, Derbin, Sabatini, & Arrt, 1972;Neugarten & Hagestad, 1976;Van Auken, Barry, & Anderson, 1993). Subjective age has been shown to be a predictor of many behavioral and psychological variables, including life satisfaction, self-esteem, perceived health, fear of aging, boredom levels in adults, maturity, body satisfaction, and leisure activities (Barnes-Farrell & Piotraski, 1989;Gana, Alaphillippe, & Bailly, 2004;Galombos, Turner, & Tilton-Weaver, 2005;Montepare, 1996;Montepare & Lachman, 1989;Palmore, 1981;Uotinen, Suutama, & Ruoppila, 2003;Westerhof & Barrett, 2005). Barak and Stern (1986) noted that women define their subjective age as younger than their chronological age as they grow older.…”