title: Perceived personal control buffers terminal decline in well-being.
abstract: Recent research has repeatedly demonstrated that well-being typically evinces precipitous deterioration close to the end of life. However, the determinants of individual differences in these terminal declines are not well understood. In this study, we examine the role of perceived personal control as a potential buffer against steep terminal declines in well-being. We applied single- and multiphase growth models to up to 25-year longitudinal data from 1,641 now-deceased participants of the national German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP; age at death: M = 74 years; SD = 14; 49% women). Results revealed that perceiving more personal control over one's life was related to subsequently higher late-life well-being, less severe rates of late-life declines, and a later onset of terminal decline. Associations were independent of key predictors of mortality, including age, gender, SES, and disability. These findings suggest that feeling in control may ameliorate steep end-of-life decline in well-being. We also discuss scenarios for when and how processes of goal disengagement and giving up control may become beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Humboldt University.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gerstorf
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California.
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heckhausen
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University.
authors.forename: Nilam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Arizona State University.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Infurna
authors.affiliation: German Institute for Economic Research, Free University.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schupp
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Human Development.
authors.forename: Gert G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction