Top

Published in:

12-09-2022 | Original Investigation

A longitudinal study of the effects of well-being and perceived control on preparations for old age: moderation effects of contexts

Authors: Jeongsoo Park, Thomas M. Hess, Helene H. Fung, Anna Kornadt, Klaus Rothermund

Published in: European Journal of Ageing | Issue 4/2022

Abstract

Extending research on determinants of preparations for old age across adulthood, we examined the relationship between well-being, perceived control, and preparations for old age over time, along with variation in the strength of these relationships depending on domains of functioning, cultures, and age. We analyzed longitudinal data from the Ageing as Future study assessing changes in well-being, perceived control, and preparations in four different life domains (social relations, finances, work, and health) across a five-year period collected from adults aged from 30 to 85 years in Germany (N = 623), Hong Kong (N = 317), and the USA (N = 315). Positive feelings about one’s current situation predicted greater perceived control five years later, and vice versa. Also, perceived control and preparations were positively associated over time, with only a few exceptions within each domain. For example, high control beliefs were related to subsequent greater preparations and well-being within the domain of social relations and finances, with weak effects of culture. These results suggest that current well-being may promote adaptive behaviors in later life, with the accumulated effects over time. Thus, focusing on how to improve our well-being may promote engagement in preparations for old age. Our results also indicate that these relations in our model vary by contexts, highlighting the importance of variability in age-related processes.

Adams G, Kurtiş T (2015) Friendship and gender in cultural-psychological perspective: Implications for research, practice, and consultation. Int Perspect Psychol Res Pract Consult 4(3):182–194. https://doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000036CrossRef

Arbuckle JL (2019) Amos 26.0 User's Guide. Chicago: IBM SPSS.

Awang ZH (2012) A handbook on SEM: structural equation modeling, 4th edn. Centre For Graduate Studies, University Teknologi MARA Kelantan, Kualalumpur

Baltes PB (1997) On the incomplete architecture of human ontogeny: Selection, optimization, and compensation as foundation of developmental theory. Am Psychol 52(4):366–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.52.4.366CrossRef

Bennett IM, Chen J, Soroui JS, White S (2009) The contribution of health literacy to disparities in self-rated health status and preventive health behaviors in older adults. Annals Family Med 7(3):204–211. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.940CrossRef

Bronfenbrenner U (1994) Ecological models of human development. Int Encycl Educ 3:1643–1647

Chhatwani M (2022) Personal control and financial well-being among the elderly: moderating role of the big five. Personal Individ Differ. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111171CrossRef

Cheng ST, Chan AC (2006) Filial piety and psychological well-being in well older Chinese. J Gerontol Series B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 61:262–269. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/61.5.p262CrossRef

Earl JK, Bednall TC, Muratore AM (2015) A matter of time: Why some people plan for retirement and others do not. Work, Aging Retire 1(2):181–189. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/wau005CrossRef

Eismann M, Verbeij T, Henkens K (2019) Older workers’ plans for activities in retirement: the role of opportunities, spousal support, and time perception. Psychol Aging 34(5):738–749. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000377CrossRef

Fredrickson BL (2004) The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Philos Trans Royal Soc B: Biol Sci 359:1367–1377. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2004.1512CrossRef

Fung HH, Stoeber FS, Yeung DY, Lang FR (2008) Cultural specificity of socioemotional selectivity: age differences in social network composition among Germans and Hong Kong Chinese. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 63B(3):P156–P164. https://doi.org/10.1093/GERONB/63.3.P156CrossRef

Gallant MP, Dorn GP (2001) Gender and race differences in the predictors of daily health practices among older adults. Health Educ Res 16(1):21–31. https://doi.org/10.1093/her/16.1.21CrossRef

Gerstorf D, Heckhausen J, Ram N, Infurna FJ, Schupp J, Wagner GG (2014) Perceived personal control buffers terminal decline in well-being. Psychol Aging 29(3):612–625. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037227CrossRef

Gerstorf D, Röcke C, Lachman ME (2011) Antecedent-consequent relations of perceived control to health and social support: longitudinal evidence for between-domain associations across adulthood. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 66(1):61–71. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbq077CrossRef

Growney CM, Hess TM (2019a) The influence of mood versus relevant self-perceptions in older adults’ interest in negative health-related information. Psychol Aging 34(3):348. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000333CrossRef

Growney CM, Hess TM (2019b) Affective influences on older adults’ attention to self-relevant negative information. J Gerontol Series B 74(4):642–651. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx108CrossRef

Henning G, Segel-Karpas D, Stenling A, Huxhold O (2022) Subjective well-being across the retirement transition—historical differences and the role of perceived control. Psychol Aging 37(3):388–400. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000662CrossRef

Hess TM, O’Brien EL, Voss P, Kornadt AE, Rothermund K, Fung HH, Popham LE (2017) Context influences on the relationship between views of aging and subjective age: the moderating role of culture and domain of functioning. Psychol Aging 32(5):419–431. https://doi.org/10.1037/pag0000181CrossRef

IBM Corp (2018) IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.

Kaas L, Kocharkov G, Preugschat E, Siassi N (2017) Low Homeownership in Germany-A Quantitative Exploration. (CESinfo Working Paper Series 6775). CESinfo Group Munich. Retrieved from http://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_6775.html

Kim-Knauss Y, Lang FR (2020) Late-life preparedness and its correlates: a behavioral perspective on preparatory activities. J Gerontol Series B. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbaa088CrossRef

Kornadt AE, Rothermund K (2011) Contexts of aging: assessing evaluative age stereotypes in different life domains. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 66(5):547–556. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbr036CrossRef

Kornadt AE, Rothermund K (2014) Preparation for old age in different life domains: dimensions and age differences. Int J Behav Dev 38(3):228–238. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025413512065CrossRef

Kornadt AE, Voss P, Fung HH, Hess TM, Rothermund K (2019) Preparation for old age: the role of cultural context and future perceptions. J Gerontol Series B 74(4):609–619. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gby075CrossRef

Lachman ME, Neupert SD, Agrigoroaei S (2011) The relevance of control beliefs for health and aging. In: Schaie KW, Willis SL (eds) Handbook of the psychology of aging. Elsevier Academic Press, New York, pp 175–190CrossRef

Lachman ME, Weaver SL (1998) The sense of control as a moderator of social class differences in health and well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol 74(3):763–773. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.3.763CrossRef

Lee WKM, Hong-Kin K (2005) Differences in expectations and patterns of informal support for older persons in Hong Kong: Modification to filial piety. Ageing Int 30(2):188–206. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-005-1011-1CrossRef

Little TD, Preacher KJ, Selig JP, Card NA (2007) New developments in latent variable panel analyses of longitudinal data. Int J Behav Dev 31:357–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025407077757CrossRef

Moffatt S, Heaven B (2017) 'Planning for uncertainty’: narratives on retirement transition experiences. Ageing Soc 37(5):879–898. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X15001476CrossRef

Newsom JT (2015) Longitudinal structural equation modeling: a comprehensive introduction. Routledge, LondonCrossRef

Noone J, O’Loughlin K, Kendig H (2013) Australian baby boomers retiring ‘early’: Understanding the benefits of retirement preparation for involuntary and voluntary retirees. J Aging Studies 27(3):207–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2013.02.003CrossRef

North MS, Fiske ST (2015) Modern attitudes toward older adults in the aging world: A cross-cultural meta-analysis. Psychol Bull 141(5):993. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039469CrossRef

OECD (2017) Policies for an ageing society: recent measures and areas for further reform, Economics Department Working Paper

Park J, Fung HH, Rothermund K, Hess TM (2020)' The impact of perceived control and future-self views on preparing for the old age: moderating influences of age, culture, and context. J Gerontol Series B 75(5):e18–e28. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz138CrossRef

Petkoska J, Earl JK (2009) Understanding the influence of demographic and psychological variables on retirement planning. Psychol Aging 24(1):245–251. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014096CrossRef

Prenda KM, Lachman ME (2001) Planning for the future: a life management strategy for increasing control and life satisfaction in adulthood. Psychol Aging 16(2):206–216. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.16.2.206CrossRef

Reitzes DC, Mutran EJ (2004) The transition to retirement: stages and factors that influence retirement adjustment. Int J Aging Human Develop 59(1):63–84. https://doi.org/10.2190/NYPP-RFFP-5RFK-8EB8CrossRef

Robinson SA, Lachman ME (2017) Perceived control and aging: a mini-review and directions for future research. Gerontology 63(5):435–442. https://doi.org/10.1159/000468540CrossRef

Skinner EA (1995) Perceived control, motivation, & coping. Sage Publications Inc, California. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483327198CrossRef

Sörensen S, Mak W, Chapman B, Duberstein PR, & Lyness JM (2012)' The relationship of preparation for future care to depression and anxiety in older primary care patients at 2-year follow-up. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 20(10):887–894. https://doi.org/10.1097/JGP.0b013e31822ccd8cCrossRef

Topa G, Herrador-Alcaide T (2016) Procrastination and financial planning for retirement: a moderated mediation analysis. J Neurosci Psychol Econ 9(3–4):169–181. https://doi.org/10.1037/npe0000065CrossRef

Topa G, Moriano JA, Depolo M, Alcover C-M, & Morales JF (2009)' Antecedents and consequences of retirement planning and decision-making: a meta-analysis and model. J Vocat Behav 75(1):38–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2009.03.002CrossRef

Trope Y, Igou ER, & Burke CT (2006)' Mood as a resource in structuring goal pursuit. In: Forgas JP (ed) Affect in social thinking and behavior. Psychology Press, pp 217–234

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2019) World Population Prospects 2019: Ten Key Findings

van Rooij MC, Lusardi A, & Alessie RJ (2012)' Financial literacy, retirement planning and household wealth. Econ J 122(560):449–478. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2012.02501.xCrossRef

Vittersø J (2013) Feelings, meanings, and optimal functioning: Some distinctions between hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. In: Waterman AS (ed) The best within us: positive psychology perspectives on eudaimonia. American Psychological Association, pp 39–55. https://doi.org/10.1037/14092-003CrossRef

Voss P, Kornadt AE, & Rothermund K (2017)' Getting what you expect? Future self-views predict the valence of life events. Dev Psychol 53(3):567–580. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000285CrossRef

Vötter B, Schnell T (2019) Cross-lagged analyses between life meaning, self-compassion, and subjective well-being among gifted adults. Mindfulness 10:1294–1303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-1078-xCrossRef

Wang M, Shultz KS (2010) Employee retirement: a review and recommendations for future investigation. J Manag 36(1):172–206

Yeung DY, Zhou X (2017) Planning for retirement: longitudinal effect on retirement resources and post-retirement well-being. Front Psychol 8:1300. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01300CrossRef

Yuan X, Wang Q (2011) A tentative study on differences and integration of Sino-Western filial piety culture. Asian Soc Sci 7:97. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v7n8p97CrossRef

Title: A longitudinal study of the effects of well-being and perceived control on preparations for old age: moderation effects of contexts
Authors: Jeongsoo Park
Thomas M. Hess
Helene H. Fung
Anna Kornadt
Klaus Rothermund
Publication date: 12-09-2022
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: European Journal of Ageing / Issue 4/2022
Print ISSN: 1613-9372
Electronic ISSN: 1613-9380
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-022-00728-9

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

A longitudinal study of the effects of well-being and perceived control on preparations for old age: moderation effects of contexts

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 4/2022

Inheritances and work for pay — will the expected wave of bequests undermine active ageing policies?

Chronic patients as retirement-aged workers: the impact of employment-based health insurance and chronic conditions on health-related working capacity and late-life career participation

Age integration in later life social networks and self-perceptions of aging: examining their reciprocal associations

Gender differences in access to community-based care: a longitudinal analysis of widowhood and living arrangements

Efficacy of acute care pathways for older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Age-period-cohort analysis of depression trends: are depressive symptoms increasing across generations in Germany?