Change in attitudes toward aging: Cognitive complaints matter more than objective performance.

Abstract

Converging longitudinal research suggests that more negative views on aging predict accelerated cognitive decline. Although conceptually suggested, reciprocal relationships between cognitive functioning and attitudes toward aging have remained less clear empirically. We used the 20-year data from the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development (ILSE) to better understand such potential bidirectionality. Drawing on 1,002 baseline participants from 2 age groups, a midlife (M age ϭ 43.7 at baseline) and an old age group (M age ϭ 62.5 at baseline), we examined longitudinal trajectories between attitude toward own aging, performance-based cognitive measures, and subjective cognitive complaints. Findings from multigroup latent growth curve modeling replicated previous findings that attitude toward own aging predicts cognitive change over 20 years in old age with 2 important specifications: We show that this effect (a) does not apply to midlife and (b) disappears in old age after controlling for depression over time. Further, as expected, cognitive complaints but not cognitive performance were related to change in attitude toward own aging in midlife and old age. Results suggest that differentiating between objective cognitive functioning and subjective cognitive complaints is important when investigating relations between cognitive functioning and attitude toward own aging in different age groups.

International relevance of two measures of awareness of age-related change (AARC)

“…However, ATOA and felt age may also be associated with individuals’ perceptions of AARC, such as perceptions of age-related cognitive changes. A recent longitudinal study showed that more negative ATOA predict greater perceived cognitive decline [ 59 ]. Similarly, individuals with an older felt age perceive more age-related losses in the cognitive domain [ 60 ].…”

International relevance of Two Measures of Awareness of Age-Related Change (AARC)

“…However, ATOA and felt age may also be associated with individuals' perceptions of AARC, such as perceptions of age-related cognitive changes. A recent longitudinal study showed that more negative ATOA predict greater perceived cognitive decline (Siebert, Braun, & Wahl, 2020). Similarly, individuals with an older felt age perceive more age-related losses in the cognitive domain (Segel-Karpas & Palgi, 2019).…”

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Older Adults: Institutionalised Ageism or Pragmatic Policy?

“…The simplified reality becomes the accepted reality by individuals, society and the institutions which comprise it. Indeed it has long been recognised that negative stereotypes of older adults lead to an internalisation of that image by the older person (Levy 2009;Siebert et al 2020) and institutions follow.…”