Life satisfaction and feeling in control: Indicators of successful aging predict mortality in old age

Abstract

Life satisfaction and control beliefs are established indicators of successful aging and predict mortality. However, it has not yet been examined whether they independently predict mortality or interact. We examined main and interaction effects using Cox proportional hazards models in a sample of older adults (N = 1402; age range: 65-91). Only the interaction of life satisfaction and control beliefs significantly predicted mortality when controlling for socio-demographic variables and health. These findings suggest that detrimental effects of low control beliefs can be buffered by life satisfaction, and unexpectedly, that high levels of both factors are not most protective against mortality.

Perceptions by the oldest old of successful aging, Vitality 90+ Study

“…Our results partly confirm the findings of previous studies (Wiest, Schüz, & Wurm, 2013) but they also show that oldest old's views are far more diverse and complex than any single theory or model of successful aging. Our results were in line with many earlier studies, in the sense that physical, social and psychological components were frequently mentioned by our respondents.…”

Control beliefs and risk for 4-year mortality in older adults: a prospective cohort study

“…Past studies examining the relationship between control beliefs and mortality assessed health as a single self-reported general rating and/or a count of medical conditions [13–17]; therefore, they failed to adjust for differential risks associated with individual conditions or disabilities [3, 18]. Furthermore, some of this previous work found no significant association between control beliefs and mortality, when general measures of health were incorporated into risk models [15, 16]. Thus, our results contribute to the evidence supporting the importance of control beliefs for mortality risk.…”

“…Understanding the relationship between control beliefs and mortality, while accounting for the differentials risks associated with various health conditions and impairments, may offer further insights into the relative importance of psychological vs. biomedical factors. Additionally, some groups did not consistently find significant associations between control beliefs and mortality risk when general health measures were included in modeling [13–16]. Thus, it remains to be seen whether control beliefs improve risk prediction when individual, well-established biomedical factors are included in statistical modeling.…”

The Protective Role of Positive Well-Being in Cardiovascular Disease: Review of Current Evidence, Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications

“…Also, life satisfaction has been shown to predict lower mortality risk in large cohorts of older adults from Australia [28], France [29], and Germany [30], spanning approximately 7 to 22 years of follow-up. However, several studies have found that the association between life satisfaction and longevity was eliminated after accounting for other indicators of positive well-being or psychosocial resources, including positive affect [29] and beliefs about having control over one’s life [31]. In addition to positive affect and life satisfaction, eudaimonic well-being may be protective for longevity [32].…”