Comparative optimism in older adults’ future health expectations

Vanderzanden, Karen; Ruthig, Joelle C.

doi:10.1111/bjhp.12315

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…In contrast to our findings, previous research by Vanderzanden and Ruthig [56] found that comparative optimism seems to be a robust tendency in older adults. While we found that older adults were comparatively pessimistic about their household accident risk, Vanderzanden and Ruthig found that for estimates of future health (i.e., over the next year) very few older adults in their study expected to have worse health (as opposed to better health or no change in health—representing optimism or realism respectively).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, our inclusion of measures of possible boundary conditions for unrealistic optimism allow us to determine whether these moderators may explain our age group differences. For example, greater perceived control has been found to predict lower personal risk estimates [51,56]. Previous experience of the target outcome and the closeness of the comparison referent, in terms of how similar they are to the respondent, have also been shown to reduce comparative optimism [51].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, plausible reasons for this are that the target events in these studies were not household accident hazards, that the situational context was different for our participants, and also that our method of risk appraisal measurement was distinct, using hazard images as stimuli. In the study conducted by Dollard et al [58] participants were comparatively optimistic about their risk of falling in the future, and Vanderzanden and Ruthig [56] observed comparative optimism about future health status. The differences in event characteristics alone may account for the contrasting findings, however it is also important to note that the situational context surrounding older adults recruited in these previous studies differed from ours in a number of aspects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Age Group Differences in Household Accident Risk Perceptions and Intentions to Reduce Hazards

Morgan

Reidy

Probst

2019

IJERPH

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Very little is known about the extent to which seemingly vulnerable younger and older adults appraise household risks and relatedly whether safety information focused on raising risk awareness influences intentions to reduce hazards in the home. The present study assessed age differences in accident experience, risk attitudes, household accident risk perceptions, comparative optimism, personal control, efficacy judgements, and intentions to remove household hazards. It also examined the predictors of these intentions. Thirty-eight younger adults (aged 18 to 25) and forty older adults (aged 65 to 87) completed study booklets containing all measures. There were significant age group differences for all accident experience and risk-related variables. Younger adults experienced more accidents, had riskier attitudes, and had significantly lower cognitive risk perceptions (i.e., they were less likely to be injured due to a household accident). They also had lower affective risk perceptions (i.e., they were less worried) about their accident risk and perceived more personal control over the risk compared with older adults. Young adults were comparatively optimistic about their risk while older adults were pessimistic. Older adults had higher response efficacy and intentions to reduce hazards in the home. Only worry, response efficacy, and risk attitudes predicted intention, however, these relationships were not moderated by age or efficacy appraisal. Although tentative theoretical and practical implications are presented, further research is required in order to better understand the objective and subjective risk associated with household accidents, and to determine the factors that may improve safety, particularly for those most vulnerable.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Age Group Differences in Household Accident Risk Perceptions and Intentions to Reduce Hazards

Morgan

Reidy

Probst

2019

IJERPH

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“…Confirmatory factor analysis of the PC scale yields single-factor solutions with item loadings between .72 and .86, and interitem correlations ranging from .42 to .79 (Chipperfield et al, 2012; Ruthig et al, 2008). Furthermore, this scale predicts better health outcomes in older adults, including physician visits, hospital admissions, and 8-year all-cause mortality in aging populations (Chipperfield et al, 2004; Vanderzanden & Ruthig, 2018). The internal consistency of this measure in the present sample was excellent (.91; Cicchetti, 1994).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived control moderates the internalized stigma model of seeking mental health services in distressed older adults.

Murphy,

Mackenzie,

Dryden

et al. 2024

Journal of Counseling Psychology

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Older adults are especially unlikely to seek mental health services, and internalized stigma is a key reason why. However, little research has investigated which older adults are particularly likely to have stigma influence help-seeking. To address this, we tested whether perceived control (PC) moderates an internalized stigma model in which public stigma is internalized as self-stigma, which negatively predicts help-seeking attitudes and help-seeking intentions. We employed moderated mediation analysis of cross-sectional, secondary data from 348 psychologically distressed Canadian adults aged 65 years and older. Participants completed an online survey that included measures of public stigma of help-seeking, self-stigma of help-seeking, help-seeking attitudes, conditional help-seeking intentions, psychological distress, and PC. PC emerged as a moderator of the internalized stigma model. Those lower in PC were more likely to have public stigma negatively predict help-seeking intentions through the serial mediation of (a) self-stigma and (b) help-seeking attitudes. Further, those lower in PC were more likely to have public stigma internalized as self-stigma and more likely to have negative help-seeking attitudes predict lower help-seeking intentions. Finally, those lower in PC also had lower help-seeking intentions in the face of low levels of self-stigma. These results contribute to a nuanced understanding of which older adults are unlikely to seek help. Identifying PC as a moderator of the internalized stigma model suggests that interventions that enhance PC should protect against public stigma's internalization and improve help-seeking behaviors for older adults who need such help. Public Significance StatementThis study demonstrates that if distressed older adults are low in perceived control (i.e., they feel they have little control over influencing outcomes and events), they are more likely to avoid seeking psychological help when exposed to help-seeking stigma. This is important because older adults are the age demographic least likely to seek help for mental health concerns, and enhancing perceptions of control is one way to improve treatment seeking.

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“…The comparative analysis of the number of studies published in the period 2008-2023 for the two age categories is clearly in favor of the elderly, the ratio being 1 to 12.8. It is possible that this fact is due to the greater addressability of the health systems of the elderly (Lalani et al, 2023;Levkovich et al, 2021;Nava et al, 2023;Okuzono et al, 2022;Sepúlveda -Loyola et al, 2020;Xu & Zhao, 2022;Vanderzanden & Ruthig, 2018). There are two main reasons for this situation: the first reason is represented by the increased number of elderly people with chronic conditions that require medical and/or social assistance, the second reason being the influence of the optimism variable in the context of chronic diseases in the elderly, which was more frequently studied for the same reason.…”

Section: Fig 1 Comparative Analysis Of Number Of Studies In Young And...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimism As A Resource And Form Of Manifesting Positive Affectiveness In The Elderly And Young Adults Pre-Pandemic Vs Pandemic – Comparative Study

Moroianu,

Curis,

Moroianu

et al. 2024

BRAIN

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The present study represents a meta-analysis carried out using the term optimism as a form of manifestation of positive affectivity from a double perspective, namely: reporting to two periods, pre-pandemic and pandemic and to two age categories, young adults and old people. Two types of psychological intervention factors were analyzed in the mentioned categories, in the pre-pandemic period, namely, a period of financial stability vs pre-pandemic financial instability, respectively, the spectrum of the pandemic generating anxiety, illness and death as markers of emotional balance. The meta-analysis indirectly quantified the interest in scientific research regarding optimism as a psychological resource, through the number of published articles related to this psychological variable. Material and method: The study is a comparative and cross-sectional meta-analysis of articles published in the PubMed database during 2008-2011, 2016-2019 and 2020-2023. Data processing was carried out using the Microsoft Excel application. Results: The comparative analysis between young people and the elderly ones regarding the studies published in the period 2008-2011 with the psychological variable "optimism" in their study shows a 15.65 times higher number of studies in terms of articles about seniors. Also, the comparative analysis of the number of studies published in the period 2008-2023 for the two age categories is clearly in favor of the elderly, the ratio being 1 to 12.8. It is possible that this fact is due to the greater addressability of the health systems of the elderly. The comparative analysis led to the conclusion that optimism as a form of manifestation of positive affectivity was studied more frequently in the third age patients being considered an important resource for them due to its attenuation with advancing age and by diminishing personal resources as a consequence of cognitive impairment and emotional lability. In young people, optimism is a psychological component present in a greater proportion and constitutes the premises of ecological emotional and cognitive manifestations. Conclusions: The meta-analysis revealed differences regarding research interest related to optimism as a manifestation of positive affectivity in relation to the periods studied and to the mentioned age categories. In relation to optimism per se, it represents an important resource at any age and it is dependent on a series of factors that are related to the period of life but also to the situational context, without discussing the personality type of the individual and a series of co-factors (transgenerational, educational, cultural, geographical, etc.).

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Comparative optimism in older adults’ future health expectations

Cited by 5 publications

References 51 publications

Age Group Differences in Household Accident Risk Perceptions and Intentions to Reduce Hazards

Age Group Differences in Household Accident Risk Perceptions and Intentions to Reduce Hazards

Perceived control moderates the internalized stigma model of seeking mental health services in distressed older adults.

Optimism As A Resource And Form Of Manifesting Positive Affectiveness In The Elderly And Young Adults Pre-Pandemic Vs Pandemic – Comparative Study

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