2. a cooperative agreement between the National Institute on Aging and the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan (U01AG009740) The Health and Retirement Study http://hrsonline.isr.umich.edu/

3. The HRS is:  A study of aging in the US (population over age 50)  Multi-disciplinary in content  A longitudinal study with replenishment  A public-use dataset: collects data for distribution to other researchers, does not control analysis  A foundation for smaller, more focused studies  A leader in administrative linkages  An example and support for similar studies in other countries

4. HRS Longitudinal Sample Design

5. How big is the HRS?  From 1992 through 2006:  Over 30,000 people were interviewed at least once  138,000 interviews were completed  6,400 workers retired  8,500 people have died  7800 interviews with their survivors

7. Aging  Loss of physical abilities  Loss of cognitive abilities  Better emotional regulation

8. Hand grip strength in kg, by age and sex (HRS 2006)

9. Lung function: peak expiratory volume, by age and sex (HRS 2006)

10. HRS and cognition  Basic measures of cognition (memory, mental status) back to 1992

11. Episodic Memory: Number of words recalled, by age and sex (HRS 2006)

12. McArdle, Fisher, and Kadlec, Psychology and Aging 22(3):525-45

13. HRS and cognition: ADAMS  A stratified sub-study of N=856 got very detailed neuropsychological assessment and diagnosis of dementia, CIND, or normal (team led by Brenda Plassman at Duke)  All ADAMS data also available to public  Papers published describing study, estimating prevalence of dementia and CIND

14. Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia, by Age (ADAMS)

15. Psychosocial measures in HRS  Other than cognition and depression, little psychological measurement in HRS  Beginning in 2006, half the sample gets a detailed in-person interview with biomarkers  AND a psychosocial questionnaire

16. HRS Meeting June 5, 2007 HRS Psychosocial Battery 2006 Personality Traits Extraversion Neuroticism Openness Agreeableness Conscientiousness Control Beliefs (Internal-External) Domain control Loneliness Anxiety Hostility Anger Optimism/Pessimism Hopelessness Subjective Well-being Life Satisfaction Positive Affect Negative Affect Psychological Well-being Purpose in life Personal Growth Self Acceptance Social Network and Relationships Size of kin and friend network Closeness of relationships Quality of spousal relationship Quality of child relationships Quality of kin relationships Quality of friend relationships Social Participation Perceived social status Social Integration Neighborhood Social Capital Everyday / Lifetime Discrimination Religiosity Critical lifetime / recent events Work Stress Domain-specific stresses Work-family balance

17. Different Age Patterns in Control by Domain Bars = 95% confidence interval Smith: HRS Workshop June 21, 2007

18. Bars = 95% confidence interval Smith, GSA November 16-20, 2007 Locus of Control Shifts from Internal to External What happens to me in the future mostly depends on me. I can do the things that I want to do. I often feel helpless in dealing with the problems of life I have little control over the things that happen to me. ConstraintsMastery

19. HRS 2006 Age Patterns in PersonalityTraits No Age Cohort Differences in Agreeableness Bars = 95% confidence interval Smith, GSA November 16-20, 2007

20. Anger is Less Intense at Older Ages Spielberger Anger Expression Scale (STAX), 1988 Trait Anger State Anger Example items (Anger-in): When I am feeling angry or mad, I keep things in I withdraw from people Example items (Anger-out): When I am feeling angry or mad, I lose my temper I argue with others HRS Psychosocial Project Bars = 95% confidence interval

21. Loneliness – Higher in Midlife and Very Old Age Three item survey scale (Hughes, Waite, Hawkley & Cacioppo [2004]): How often do you feel you lack companionship? How often do you feel left out? How often do you feel isolated from others? HRS Psychosocial Project Bars = 95% confidence interval

22. Loneliness is closely linked to marriage and friendships