Associations Among Individuals' Perceptions of Future Time, Individual Resources, and Subjective Well-Being in Old Age.

TitleAssociations Among Individuals' Perceptions of Future Time, Individual Resources, and Subjective Well-Being in Old Age.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsHoppmann, CA, Infurna, FJ, Ram, N, Gerstorf, D
JournalJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
Volume72
Issue3
Pagination388-399
Date Published2017 May 01
ISSN Number1758-5368
KeywordsAffect, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Attitude, depression, Female, Forecasting, Health Status, Humans, Male, Personal Satisfaction
Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Perceptions of future time are of key interest to aging research because of their implications for subjective well-being. Interestingly, perceptions about future time are only moderately associated with age when looking at the second half of life, pointing to a vast heterogeneity in future time perceptions among older adults. We examine associations between future time perceptions, age, and subjective well-being across two studies, including moderations by individual resources.

METHOD: Using data from the Berlin Aging Study (N = 516; Mage = 85 years), we link one operationalization (subjective nearness to death) and age to subjective well-being. Using Health and Retirement Study data (N = 2,596; Mage = 77 years), we examine associations of another future time perception indicator (subjective future life expectancy) and age with subjective well-being.

RESULTS: Consistent across studies, perceptions of limited time left were associated with poorer subjective well-being (lower life satisfaction and positive affect; more negative affect and depressive symptoms). Importantly, individual resources moderated future time perception-subjective well-being associations with those of better health exhibiting reduced future time perception-subjective well-being associations.

DISCUSSION: We discuss our findings in the context of the Model of Strength and Vulnerability Integration.

URLhttp://psychsocgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/10/05/geronb.gbv063.abstract
DOI10.1093/geronb/gbv063
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26437862?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalJ Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci
Citation Key6462
PubMed ID26437862
PubMed Central IDPMC4974076
Grant ListU01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
131692-1 / CAPMC / CIHR / Canada
RC1 AG035645 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR002014 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States
R24 HD041025 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States
R21 AG032379 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
UL1 TR000127 / TR / NCATS NIH HHS / United States