title: Sense of control in late life: health and survival implications.
abstract: Believing that one can influence outcomes presumably fosters a psychological sense of control. So too, however, might adaptive ways of thinking known as secondary control (SC) processes that operate when outcomes are believed to be unattainable. Using a 5-year prospective design and a representative sample of adults (ages 79-98), folk beliefs (e.g., "negative experiences can be a blessing in disguise") were used to assess SC processes. The authors expected SC Folk Beliefs would predict Sense of Control (Hypothesis 1) which, in turn, would predict self-rated health, hospital admissions, and survival (Hypothesis 2). An indirect relationship was hypothesized: SC Folk Beliefs were expected to predict outcomes through the Sense of Control (Hypothesis 3). Support was found for all hypotheses providing insights into the antecedents and consequences of a sense of control and about how SC beliefs and a sense of control function in the context of health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Judith.Chipperfield@ad.umanitoba.ca
authors.forename: Judith G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chipperfield
authors.forename: Nancy E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Newall
authors.forename: Raymond P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Tara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bailis
authors.forename: Joelle C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ruthig
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013534:Survival / Q000523:psychology*