Older Adults’ Self-Perceptions of Aging and Being Older: A Scoping Review (original) (raw)
Related papers
Perceptions of Being Old and the Ageing Process
Ageing International, 2017
Ageing anxiety is based on worry about age-related changes in one's physical appearance and the belief that old age is a phase of life in which poor physical health, pain or discomfort, sensory losses and cognitive decline are inevitable. This qualitative study aimed to explore perceptions of being an older adult and the ageing process. Six focus groups were conducted with a total of 39 participants, aged between 50 and 92 years. An inductive thematic analysis identified three manifest themes within the data: freedom/liberation, independence/ autonomy and personal responsibility/self-care, and one overarching, latent theme, continuity and change. Perceptions of ageing and old age among this group of older adults were generally positive, however, this positivity was tempered by fears about possible future declines in health and loss of independence.
The Impact of Age Stereotypes on Self-perceptions of Aging Across the Adult Lifespan
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2012
I N Western societies, individuals are continuously confronted with stereotypical beliefs about older adults, often depicting them as lonely or sick. Importantly, not just younger persons but also individuals belonging to this stereotyped group often hold age stereotypes (e.g., Hummert, Garstka, Shaner, & Strahm, 1994). This can be problematic in so far as the activation of self-relevant age stereotypes can influence older adults' performance (e.g., Hausdorff, Levy, &Wei, 1999; Hess, Auman, Colcombe, & Rahhal, 2003) and may negatively impact their self-view and wellbeing (Rothermund, 2005; Rothermund & Brandtstädter, 2003). The present study extends previous research by examining whether the activation of age stereotypes also influences self-perceptions of aging. Self-perceptions of Aging in the Context of Successful Aging "Self-perceptions of aging" refer to individuals' perceptions of their own age and aging (Levy, 2003; Sneed & Whitbourne, 2005). In the present study, we included two indicators of self-perceptions of aging: subjective age and aging satisfaction. "Subjective age" is a multidimensional construct assessing facets, such as felt age, perceived age, or desired age (Kastenbaum, Derbin, Sabatini, & Artt, 1972; Montepare, 2009). Whereas adolescents and younger adults often feel or want to be older than they actually are, middleaged and older adults mostly report younger subjective ages (e.g., Galambos, Turner, & Tilton-Weaver, 2005; Rubin, & Berntsen, 2006). "Aging satisfaction" refers to the subjective evaluation of one's satisfaction with one's own aging process. Across the lifespan, individuals are relatively satisfied with their aging, at least until relatively late in life or in proximity to death (Kleinspehn-Ammerlahn, Kotter-Grühn, & Smith, 2008; Kotter-Grühn, Kleinspehn-Ammerlahn, Gerstorf, & Smith, 2009). Many studies have provided empirical evidence for the importance of self-perceptions of aging in the context of successful aging (cf. Filipp, Ferring, & Klauer, 1989). Given that positive self-perceptions of aging are associated with favorable outcomes, such as higher well-being, better health, or longevity (e.g.
BMC …, 2007
Background: Self-perceptions of aging have been implicated as independent predictors of functional disability and mortality in older adults. In spite of this, research on self-perceptions of aging is limited. One reason for this is the absence of adequate measures. Specifically, there is a need to develop a measure that is theoretically-derived, has good psychometric properties, and is multidimensional in nature. The present research seeks to address this need by adopting the Self-Regulation Model as a framework and using it to develop a comprehensive, multi-dimensional instrument for assessing self-perceptions of aging. This study describes the validation of this newly-developed instrument, the Aging Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ).
Psychology and Aging, 1989
We examined differences in subjective age identification from adolescence to old age and the relation between subjective age and fears about one's own aging and life satisfaction. Using a questionnaire format, 188 men and women from 14 to 83 years of age made judgments about how old they felt, looked, acted, and desired to be. Respondents also answered questions about their personal fears of aging and present life satisfaction. Results revealed that individuals in their teens held older subjective age identities, whereas during the early adult years, individuals maintained same age identities. Across the middle and later adult years, individuals reported younger age identities, and women experienced younger age identities than men across these adults years. Results also revealed that discrepancies between subjective and actual age were associated with personal fears of aging and life satisfaction, especially in younger men and women.
European Journal of Ageing, 2016
The passage of time may force people to adjust their subjective age in response to changes in their attitudes toward own aging (ATOA). Although positive associations have been found between well-being and both positive ATOA and younger subjective age, the relationships between changes in these measures have not been examined yet. We expected (1) a decrease in positive ATOA to be associated with an accelerated increase in subjective age and (2) an increase in positive ATOA to be associated with a relative decrease in subjective age. Participants were individuals and their spouses, aged 50 and over, recruited by the Health and Retirement Study, who provided responses to a question concerning one's subjective age in 2008 and 2012 (n = 4174). A change in subjective age over the two waves was regarded as (1) an accelerated increase if it was greater than 5 years (36.2 % of the sample); (2) a relative decrease (39.1 %), if it was less than the 3 years; (3) no change if it did not comply with criteria 1 or 2 (24.7 %). A decrease in positive ATOA over the two waves resulted in an accelerated increase in subjective age, and an increase resulted in a relative decrease in subjective age. Older age and more physical impairments and depressive symptoms in 2012 compared with 2008 were associated with an accelerated increase in subjective age. Our findings emphasize the consequences ATOA might have on subjective age experiences, and the need to improve them.
Journal of Adult Development, 2018
The Attitude Toward Own Aging (ATOA) Scale assesses an individual's evaluation of their own aging, and has been widely used in the field of subjective aging literature. The present study examined whether the ATOA scale measures the same construct across middle-aged (40-60), young-old (61-74), and old-old adults (ages 75 or older) and also evaluated the construct validity of the ATOA construct in relation to measures of subjective well-being. Data drawn from the 2008 wave of the German Aging Survey (DEAS; n = 6091) were used. ATOA was assessed by the ATOA subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS), and subjective well-being was assessed with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the model fit of the one-factor model consisting of four items fits the data well. Multi-group invariance analyses provide evidence for configural and metric invariance of the ATOA scale across the age groups, but not for scalar invariance. Additional analysis assessing construct validity indicated that the ATOA items exhibited convergent validity. The findings support the utility of the 4-item scale when examining age group differences of ATOA across a wide age range and that ATOA is distinct from measures of subjective well-being.
Journal of Spatial and Organizational Dynamics, Vol. II, Issue 2, 2014
In this paper we focused on the experiences of ageing from the perspective of elderly people. Our main aims were to explore their perceptions and representations about the ageing experience and to analyse if their conceptions are closer to positive social representations of active ageing or to ageist social assumptions. Thirty-five females (mean age of 80 years) and seven males (mean age of 73 years) participated in this study, recruited in a network of institutions run by the city council of Setubal. Data collection was conducted with structured interviews and the obtained transcriptions were submitted to qualitative thematic analysis. With this analytic approach it was possible to identify dominant themes in participants' discourses. Results show that elderly perceive and represent the process of ageing according to a binary perspective, displaying both positive and negative dimensions. Even if the ageing experience is described according to a positive perspective, it is also anchored on ageist social constructions. Thus the positive social representations of ageing expressed through active ageing discourses are still not fully assimilated and integrated on people's self-perceptions and identities.
The Association of Self-Perception of Aging and Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Systematic Review
The Gerontologist
Background and Objectives Self-perception of aging is an important psychosocial factor that can influence quality of life in older age. This review aimed to synthesize findings on the association between self-perception of aging and quality of life among older adults aged 60 and above. Research Design and Methods A systematic search was conducted in 4 electronic databases (Ovid Medline, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Web of Science). Studies conducted in English and including measures on the perception of aging and quality of life were included in this review. A total of 32 observational studies (21 cross-sectional, 8 longitudinal, 2 mixed-method, and 1 qualitative) met the inclusion criteria. Outcomes reported in the included studies were quality of life, physical health and functioning, psychological health, mental health, and general well-being. Results Overall, 20 quantitative studies indicated a strong association between positive perception of aging and increased quality of life. Simil...
The Gerontologist
Background and Objectives Self-perception of ageing is an important psychosocial factor that can influence quality of life in older age. This review aimed to synthesise findings on the association between self-perception of ageing and quality of life among older adults aged 60 and above. Methods A systematic search was conducted in four electronic databases (Ovid Medline, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and Web of Science). Studies conducted in English and including measures on the perception of ageing and quality of life were included in this review. A total of 32 observational studies (21 cross-sectional, eight longitudinal, two mixed-method, and one qualitative) met the inclusion criteria. Outcomes reported in the included studies were quality of life, physical health and functioning, psychological health, mental health, and general well-being. Results Overall, 20 quantitative studies indicated a strong association between positive perception of ageing and increased quality of life. Similarly,...