Persistence in goal striving and positive reappraisal as psychosocial resources for ageing well: a dyadic analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Associations of both individuals' and their spouses' tendencies toward persistence in goal striving (an index of primary control) and positive reappraisal (an index of accommodation) with individuals' characteristics of successful aging (physical and mental health, life satisfaction and social networks/engagement) were examined in midlife and older spousal dyads.


METHODS
One-hundred and twenty spousal dyads (240 individuals) completed a mail-out questionnaire concerned with psychosocial correlates of mental health and well-being in older adulthood.


RESULTS
Results indicated that 40-60% of the variance in successful aging outcomes occurred between dyads. Individuals' tendencies toward positive reappraisal were positively related to physical and mental health and life satisfaction. Positive reappraisal was also related to more extensive social networks with friends and greater social engagement, but only among younger participants. Individuals' persistence in goal striving was associated with better mental health but was not related to the other indices of aging well, while spouses' goal persistence and reappraisal tendencies were not related to individuals' aging well outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings indicate a substantial degree of interdependence among spouses in the extent to which they are ageing well, and highlight the adaptive value of positive reappraisal as a coping strategy used in response to loss of primary control in later life.
Windsor
Tim D
TD
Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. Tim.Windsor@anu.edu.au
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires