@article {10068, title = {Purpose in life protects against cognitive decline among older adults.}, journal = {American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry}, volume = {27}, year = {2019}, pages = {593-601}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether having a sense of purpose in life protects against cognitive decline among older adults and whether purpose in life moderates the relationship between selected risk factors (age, sex, and race/ethnicity) and cognitive abilities.

METHODS: This was a longitudinal analysis of existing secondary data of adults (N = 11,557) aged 50 or older using the 2006-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. The study measured purpose in life, cognitive functioning score, and various covariates.

RESULTS: Growth curve modeling revealed that, after adjusting for covariates, purpose in life was positively associated with participants{\textquoteright} total cognition scores. Purpose in life significantly moderated the relationship between age and race/ethnicity and cognitive decline. Further, purpose in life was a protective factor against cognitive decline for those who were older and black. There was no significant interaction between purpose in life and sex.

CONCLUSION: Having a purposeful life protects against cognitive decline in older adults, and the associations varied by age and race/ethnicity, but not by sex. Potential ways to increase purpose in life are discussed in a clinical context.

}, keywords = {Cognition \& Reasoning, Purpose in life}, issn = {1545-7214}, doi = {10.1016/j.jagp.2019.01.010}, author = {Kim, Giyeon and Su Hyun Shin and Monica A Scicolone and Patricia Parmelee} }