title: Downward social comparison and subjective well-being in late life: the moderating role of perceived control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Drawing from Heckhausen and Schulz's Motivational Theory of Life-span Development, this study examined perceived control as a moderator of the protective relationship between downward social comparison and subjective well-being among older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-dwelling older adults (N = 97, 63% female, ages 79-97) were interviewed in their own homes at three time-points over a nine-year period. Interviews assessed older adults' perceived control over daily tasks, their use of downward social comparison in response to task restriction, and their subjective well-being.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression analyses yielded a significant interaction between downward social comparison and perceived control for three subjective well-being outcomes: life satisfaction, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Follow-up analyses revealed that downward social comparison was associated with greater subjective well-being at low levels of perceived control; but was unrelated to subjective well-being at high levels of perceived control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings corroborate Heckhausen and Schulz's theorized goal-opportunity congruence premise and have implications for quality-of-life interventions to assist community-dwelling older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, USA. stewtara@isu.edu
authors.forename: Tara L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Judith G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chipperfield
authors.forename: Joelle C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ruthig
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heckhausen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support