The Association Between Views of Aging and Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Older Adults: Findings From Two Samples

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined whether views of aging (VoA) relate to subjective cognitive complaints in two separate cohorts of older adults. Ageist attitudes, attitudes to aging (psychological loss, physical change, and psychological growth), subjective age, and subjective successful aging were examined. A moderating effect of chronological age was also examined. Samples included 572 adults aged 50 or older (Sample 1; mean age = 67.63, SD = 11.39, 49.4% female) and 224 adults aged 65 or older (Sample 2; mean age = 81.50, SD = 6.61, 75.3% female). More negative VoA (higher ageist attitudes, lower psychological growth, lower physical change, older subjective age, and less successful aging) were associated with more subjective cognitive complaints after controlling for covariates. An increase in chronological age strengthened some of these associations. Findings suggest that improving dimensions of VoA may have a complementary positive effect on subjective cognitive complaints in older adults.

Association between positive control in self-perceptions of aging and motoric cognitive risk syndrome among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study

“…Aging aware in B-APQ reflects awareness of one’s aging or age, more similar to subjective age. View of aging contributed to all dimensions of cognitive complaints such as abilities to remember, recognize, recall or understand, et al [ 15 ]. However, subjective age was not associated with complaints about memory [ 15 ].…”

“…View of aging contributed to all dimensions of cognitive complaints such as abilities to remember, recognize, recall or understand, et al [ 15 ]. However, subjective age was not associated with complaints about memory [ 15 ]. SCC in this study are memory-specific cognitive complaints and SPA is a multiple domian construct.…”

“…Evidence showed direct or indirect relationships between SPA, subjective cognitive complaints, and objective cognitive function. For example, negative views of aging were associated with subjective cognitive complaints in adults aged 50 or older [ 15 ], and the latter further aggravated negative thoughts of aging [ 16 ], forming a vicious cycle. Perceptions of aging modulated the relationship between frailty and cognitive decline, including global cognition, executive function, and attention [ 17 ].…”