Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Self-Perception of Aging Among Older Adults

Seifert, Alexander

doi:10.1177/2333721421999320

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Finally, changes in subjective aging between 2017 and 2020 might be caused by additional factors beyond the pandemic, although we are not aware of any plausible alternative (history-graded) event or period effect that could explain the shift toward more negative ATOA in this time period. Also, other empirical findings (e.g., Seifert, 2021; Terracciano et al, 2021) support our interpretation that the pandemic as well as its implications and consequences for societies and individuals’ everyday lives have triggered noticeable changes in subjective aging.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 83%

“…This additional change can be interpreted as a “COVID-19 effect” on ATOA, although it cannot fully be ruled out that alternative period effects or (historical) events between 2017 and 2020 have caused this additional ATOA decline. However, other findings (e.g., Seifert, 2021) came to similar conclusions of a trend toward less favorable self-perceptions of aging triggered by the onset of the pandemic, and we are not aware of any plausible other (history-graded) factor that might have caused the additional ATOA decline between 2017 and 2020. Also, period effects or deviations from the general 12-year ATOA change in 2014 or 2017, which we investigated as part of additional analyses, did not reach the size of the deviations in 2020, and their inclusion did not considerably change the estimate of the “COVID-19 effect.” This finding suggests that at this last measurement occasion, during the first wave of COVID-19 in Germany, ATOA scores deviated from their general change trend to a larger extent than at any other prior measurement occasion.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 74%

“…Based on our data, no conclusion can be drawn regarding the question how lasting this shift toward more negative ATOA will be, or whether and to what extent ATOA levels will fluctuate over time, for example, depending on the temporal dynamics of COVID-19 infection rate peaks and other time-varying characteristics of the pandemic. For instance, Seifert (2021) reported, based on a Swiss sample, some “recovery” in self-perceptions of aging, that is, positive self-perceptions of aging increased, whereas negative self-perceptions of aging decreased when certain governmental restrictions and recommendations in order to prevent an increase in COVID-19 infection rates were eased. The data we analyzed in this study were collected in Summer 2020, which was when the “hard lockdown” in Germany was released and when restrictions, for example, with regard to face-to-face contacts, were more lenient, so that ATOA might have even been more negative compared to the prior measurement occasions if it had been assessed at the time of the “hard lockdown” in March or April 2020, or at later infections waves (e.g., from November 2020 on).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trajectories of attitude toward own aging and subjective age from 2008 to 2020 among middle-aged and older adults: Partial evidence of a “COVID-19 effect”.

Wettstein

Wahl

2021

Psychology and Aging

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As older adults have frequently been portrayed as one homogeneous and vulnerable risk group in public debates and in the media immediately after the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, a general shift toward less favorable attitude toward own aging (ATOA) might have resulted. In contrast, individuals may feel younger than before the pandemic, reflecting a psychological mechanism to avoid identifying themselves with the old age "risk group." We investigate 12-year trajectories of ATOA and subjective age among middle-aged and older German adults based on assessments between 2008 and Summer 2020 (N = 7,730; age in 2008: 40-93 years, M = 62.41). Based on longitudinal multilevel regression models, we found that for ATOA, a model including a potentially "pandemic-driven" change component between 2017 and 2020 in addition to an overall linear change between 2008 and 2020 revealed a better fit than a linear change model without that additional change component. Mean-level decline in ATOA between 2017 and 2020 was five times steeper in such a model than in a linear change model that did not include an additional 2017-2020 change component. The extent of intraindividual ATOA change between 2017 and 2020 varied interindividually, but for more than 99% of the sample, particularly among those with poorer self-rated health, ATOA became less favorable. There was very limited evidence for a pandemic-specific change in subjective age. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the early phase of the pandemic might have caused a change toward less favorable ATOA, whereas it did not affect subjective age.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Trajectories of attitude toward own aging and subjective age from 2008 to 2020 among middle-aged and older adults: Partial evidence of a “COVID-19 effect”.

Wettstein

Wahl

2021

Psychology and Aging

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This timing suggests that older adults may be more cautious about getting sick from the COVID-19 virus compared to government leaders and others in their community who emphasized reducing restrictions. Alternatively, older adults may be more cognizant of the general negative health effects of aging, after COVID-19 messaging highlighted their vulnerability ( Seifert, 2021 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untapped Insight: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis of Older Adults’ Advice During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vleet

Fuller

Hofmann

et al. 2022

Innovation in Aging

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Background and Objectives Due to a lifetime of experience, older adults are uniquely positioned to contribute advice and insight to others during a historical, societal crisis such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This qualitative study explores the solicited advice older adults offered their peers, family members, and communities throughout the first year of the pandemic. Research Design and Methods A sample of 72 older adults aged 70-97 from Minnesota and North Dakota were asked what advice they would provide to others in June 2020 and again in April/May 2021. Participants were asked to provide advice on individual coping and how community members should support older adults during the pandemic, as well as how others should adjust after the pandemic. Responses were coded and developed into overarching themes. Findings Older adults advised others during the pandemic to foster mental and physical well-being, develop positive life perspectives, and connect to others as strategies to cope through the pandemic. Participants advised that after the pandemic people should remain vigilant, return to normal, and emerge as better people. Advice targeted to meeting the needs of older adults during the pandemic included: adopt selfless attitudes, take intentional actions, and maintain balance. A longitudinal approach revealed that advice remained consistent over time, despite the circumstances caused by COVID-19 changing. Discussion and Implications Findings suggest that older adults utilize their life experiences and coping strategies as sources for drawing advice. These findings also suggest that older adults are sources of insight during crises. Future research should investigate additional advice older adults can offer and how willingly communities listen. Applied work should give older adults opportunities to provide far-reaching advice as well as develop interventions aimed at decreasing ageist perceptions of older adults in times of crisis.

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“…The article by Alexander Seifert (2021) showed that the Corona Virus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected older adults’ subjective views of their own aging and also after lockdown older adults experienced higher levels of subjective feelings of negative self-perception of aging (SPA) and lower levels of positive SPA ( Seifert, 2021 ). Although the COVID-19 pandemic affects people in all age groups, but older people are at a higher risk for negative clinical outcomes, including mortality, compared to other age groups.…”

Section: To the Editormentioning

confidence: 99%