Personality and personal control make a difference for life satisfaction in the oldest-old: findings in a longitudinal population-based study of individuals 80 and older

Abstract

This study investigates life satisfaction in relation to impending death among the oldest-old using overall disease load, self-rated health, and personality as interacting covariates of level and change. We used data from a sample of 370 healthy individuals who completed the Life Satisfaction Index-Z at four measurement occasions during a 6-year period in the Swedish OCTO-Twin study of individuals aged 80 and older. Growth curve analyses showed a linear decrease in life satisfaction as individuals approached death. The decrease was not related to level or change in self-rated health and disease load. High disease load was, however, related to lower levels of life satisfaction, but, this association was moderated by locus of control, such that those with high disease load and high locus of control did not show lower life satisfaction. Poor self-rated health was also associated with lower life satisfaction, but, this association was moderated by neuroticism, such that those with poorrated health and low neuroticism did not show lower live satisfaction. Personality factors such as locus of control and neuroticism can influence the association between health and life satisfaction. The findings suggest further investigations of the role of personality characteristics in late life satisfaction and whether interventions aimed to increase personal control can improve life satisfaction in old age.The notion of lifelong stability of life satisfaction produced by a set-point equilibrium mechanism has been questioned in recent longitudinal studies of life satisfaction in the oldest-old. In a previous study we found a linear and largely homogenous decrease in life satisfaction across four measurement occasions during a 6-year period in individuals aged 80-98 (Berg et al.

The Nature and Correlates of Self-Esteem Trajectories in Late Life

“…Previous research has repeatedly shown that mortality-related descriptions often provide a more accurate description of late-life changes in a variety of different domains, including indicators of cognitive abilities and well-being (Bäckman & MacDonald, 2006;Berg, 1996;Berg et al, 2011;. Our results generally support these findings for self-esteem, a central facet of people s' self-regulation system.…”

“…Evidence for precipitous proximate-to-death declines that are often considerably steeper than the typical age-related effects has primarily accumulated in cognitive ability domains (for overviews, see Bäckman & MacDonald, 2006;Berg, 1996;Small & Bäckman, 1999). However, there is an increasing body of research showing that many aspects of well-being also show steep end-of-life declines (Berg et al, 2011;Diehr et al, 2002;Mroczek & Spiro, 2005;Palgi et al, 2010). There is even initial evidence to suggest that terminal decline is a highly pervasive phenomenon that affects many different domains, including those often considered relatively stable across old and very old age (Gerstorf, Ram, et al, 2012).…”

CASP-19 special section: how does chronic disease status affect CASP quality of life at older ages? Examining the WHO ICF disability domains as mediators of this relationship

“…However, it has been suggested that control and autonomy facilitate pursuit of an enjoyable and fulfilling life (Doyal & Gough, 1991; and that perceived control mediates the effects of health on life satisfaction (Berg, Hassing, Thorvaldsson, & Johansson, 2011;Devins, 2010;George, 2010). Examining these two dimensions as a pathway may offer further insight into how chronic disease affects QoL.…”

A Longitudinal Examination of the Effects of Early Influences and Midlife Characteristics on Successful Aging

“…Although a number of recent longitudinal studies have examined health, well-being, and life satisfaction (Berg, Hassing, Thorvaldsson, & Johansson, 2011;Fiori & Jager, 2012;Gerstorf et al, 2010;Schilling, Wahl, & Wiegering, 2013;Wickrama, Mancini, Kwag, & Kwon, 2013), few longitudinal studies have examined predictors of successful aging.…”