title: Life course influences of physical and cognitive function and personality on attitudes to aging in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reports of attitudes to aging from older people themselves are scarce. Which life course factors predict differences in these attitudes is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated life course influences on attitudes to aging in healthy, community-dwelling people in the UK. Participants in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 completed a self-report questionnaire (Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire, AAQ) at around age 75 (n= 792, 51.4% male). Demographic, social, physical, cognitive, and personality/mood predictors were assessed, around age 70. Cognitive ability data were available at age 11.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Generally positive attitudes were reported in all three domains: low Psychosocial Loss, high Physical Change, and high Psychological Growth. Hierarchical multiple regression found that demographic, cognitive, and physical variables each explained a relatively small proportion of the variance in attitudes to aging, with the addition of personality/mood variables contributing most significantly. Predictors of attitudes to Psychosocial Loss were high neuroticism; low extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness; high anxiety and depression; and more physical disability. Predictors of attitudes to Physical Change were: high extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness; female sex; social class; and less physical disability. Personality predictors of attitudes to Psychological Growth were similar. In contrast,lessaffluent environment, living alone,lowervocabulary scores, andslowerwalking speed predicted more positive attitudes in this domain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older people's attitudes to aging are generally positive. The main predictors of attitude are personality traits. Influencing social circumstances, physical well-being, or mood may result in more positive attitudes. Alternatively, interventions to influence attitudes may have a positive impact on associated physical and affective changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.|Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.
authors.forename: Susan D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Shenkin
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychology, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Laidlaw
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.|Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allerhand
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.
authors.forename: Gillian E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.|Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.|Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.|Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9JZ, UK.
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Deary
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005260:Female; D000368:Aged; D010551:Personality; D003071:Cognition; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000089822:Birth Cohort; D006113:United Kingdom; D012606:Scotland; D001290:Attitude; D001294:Attitude to Health; D006304:Health Status; D057566:Self Report
keywords: aging; attitudes to aging; cognitive assessment; personality; physical performance