The Relationship Among Attitudes Towards Aging, Personality Traits and Psychological Wellbeing in Community Dwelling Older Adults

摘要

This study explored the relationship among attitudes towards aging, personality traits and psychological wellbeing in community dwelling older adults. Sixty-two community-dwelling participants aged 65-88 (M = 75, SD = 6.17) completed the NEO-FFI-3, the Attitudes To Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ), the Scales of Psychological Wellbeing, and a demographic questionnaire. Consistent with previous research, low Neuroticism, high Extraversion, and more positive Attitudes Towards Aging were associated with higher psychological wellbeing. Multiple regression analyses revealed that Neuroticism was negatively correlated with Autonomy and Environmental Mastery; Extraversion was positively correlated with Personal Growth, Positive Relations and Self-Acceptance; greater Openness to Experience significantly predicted Autonomy, Personal Growth and Purpose in Life; lower Agreeableness was related to higher Autonomy; higher Agreeableness related to higher Positive Relations and Purpose in Life; and Conscientiousness significantly predicted Autonomy and Purpose in Life. Analyses of demographic variables were also conducted to detect differences among groups. Results indicated that individuals who reported feeling younger than their age showed significantly greater Autonomy and Personal Growth. Education level was also significantly related to Personal Growth. Participants with higher levels of education (college or above) reported greater Personal Growth than participants who completed at most a high-school education. Individuals who reported being in a partnership had higher levels of Purpose in Life and more positive perceptions of aging when compared with those who reported not currently being with a partner. Participants who reported having enough money to meet their needs with some money left over differed in their rating of positive relationships, had less loneliness, greater Environmental Mastery and more positive Attitudes Towards Aging than those who were not as financially secure. Taken together, these results support previous research that emphasizes the importance of personality traits, attitudes towards aging, and demographic predictors of psychological wellbeing in older adults. These findings are conceptualized as protective factors and as positive strengths that may help older adults adapt to the aging process.