title: The impact of personality and social status factors upon levels of activity and psychological well-being.
abstract: The fact that the relationship between levels of activity and psychological well-being is not a simple one that suggests an optimal theory of aging has been previously recognized. Explanation of individual differences in levels of activity and psychological well-being, however, remains a salient theoretical issue. In the present study, multiple regression is used to examine the impact of both personality and social status variables upon levels of activity and psychological well-being in a sample of 380 white males and females, aged 50-76. The results indicate that both personality and social status factors are significant predictors, although levels of activity and psychological well-being are best predicted by different variables. The most striking finding of the study is the substantial power of personality factors to significantly predict psychological well-being.
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D012923:Social Class