The happy survivor? Effects of differential mortality on life satisfaction in older age.
Older adults report higher psychological well-being than younger adults. Those highest in well-being also have the lowest risk of mortality. If those with lower well-being die earlier, it could affect the appearance of developmental change in well-being. In adults aged 50 and older (N = 4,458), we estimated effects of differential mortality on life satisfaction by imputing life satisfaction, adjusting for attrition due to death, or estimating life satisfaction using pattern-mixture modeling. There was an increase in life satisfaction with age; however, differential mortality affected the elevation of the curve. Observed life satisfaction, particularly above age 70, is affected by differential mortality. (PsycINFO Database Record
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky.
Suzanne C
SC
Segerstrom
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky.
Hannah L
HL
Combs
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University.
Ashley
A
Winning
Department of Psychology, Chapman University.
Julia K
JK
Boehm
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University.
Laura D
LD
Kubzansky
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015996:Survival Rate