title: Subjective residual life expectancy in health self-regulation.
abstract: Applying socioemotional selectivity theory to the domain of health, we examined the interplay of social-cognitive predictors of physical exercise in two groups of people who perceived their remaining lifetime as either expansive or limited (based on subjective longevity ratings). Individuals (N = 370) who were prescribed physical exercise were assessed at discharge from orthopedic rehabilitation as well as 6 and 12 months later. Multigroup structural equation modeling showed differences in latent means, interrelations of predictors, and amount of explained variance. Individuals who perceived their time as limited reported a less favorable profile on social-cognitive variables and less exercise goal attainment. We give first insights on how health self-regulation differs in these groups, and we discuss avenues for intervention based on socioemotional selectivity theory. In contrast to chronological age, subjective life expectancy can be targeted by intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Psychology, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany. jochenzi@zedat.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: Jochen P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ziegelmann
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lippke
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schwarzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003071:Cognition; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012919:Social Behavior; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires