Relationships between felt age and perceived disability, satisfaction with recovery, self-efficacy beliefs and coping strategies.
Subjective age is related to health and to life satisfaction, and adaptation to stressful life events is associated with self-efficacy beliefs and coping. The present study on cancer survivors addressed two objectives: the relationship between felt age and perceived disability and satisfaction with recovery, and the feeding back of felt age on general self-efficacy beliefs and coping strategies. Data were collected one and six months after surgery. Individuals with younger age identities reported lower levels of perceived disability and avoidance-oriented coping and higher levels of satisfaction with recovery, self-efficacy and meaning-focused coping than individuals with older age identities. Individuals with decreased or stable felt age indicated increased meaning-focused coping or avoidance-oriented coping, respectively. Explanations for these associations are discussed.
Boehmer
Sonja
S
Freie Universiltät Berlin, Department Health Psychology, Germany. boehmers@zedat.fu
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*