Do Long-Lived Individuals Maintain Their Capacity for Well-Being Over Time? 2-Year Longitudinal Analyses from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study (CLHLS) Denis Gerstorf Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin Li Qiang Institute of Population Research, Peking University Jacqui Smith Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin

The Well-Being Paradox Gerstorf, Li, & Smith, 2004 The paradox: ”Stability-despite-loss" Cross-sectional findings from national surveys of middle-aged and young-old persons suggest that age is not strongly related to levels of subjective well-being, despite increases in social loss and poor health with advancing years. Psychologically, the large majority of people appear to adjust to changes. Does it apply to the very old? In general, very old individuals may be at risk for lower well-being. They experience more irreversible social and physical losses coupled with declines in psychological functioning. They may therefore have less capacity to adjust and maintain well-being over time.

Resources Linked To Well-Being May Be Differentially Vulnerable To Change In Very Old Age Resources for positive well-being are at-risk? Some survey research suggests that this side of well-being declines across the lifespan. People generally continue to show a positive balance, but the intensity and frequency of positive events and emotions is somewhat reduced with age (e.g., age 20 vs. age 70). Resources against the negative side of well-being are robust with age? Processes that minimize negative emotions and negative well-being function very well in adulthood. The prevalence of major depression is low in old age. These processes may, however, be less effective close to death in old age. Gerstorf, Li, & Smith, 2004

Analytic Strategy Longitudinal analyses: 2000 and 2002 Sample (N = 1813) - this sample is positively selected for well-being - analyses with this sample avoided having to deal with possible confounds due to method changes Focus on age cohort comparisons and predictors of change Does well-being change over 2 years in a long-lived sample?  Positive > Negative ?  Centenarians > Octogenarians?  Change attenuated by cognitive fitness and engagement in life activities (i.e., correlates of successful aging)? Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004

2-Year Longitudinal Sample: 2000 to 2002 We used N = 1813 with complete longitudinal psychological data (2000 & 2002) Mean age = 91 years in 2000; 57% women M = 86 years M = 96 years M = 103 years N % Women % City % No school education % No Spouse % Poor hearing71121 % Poor vision31018 Self-rated health (max = 5)3.5 Life satisfaction (max = 5)3.8 MMSE (max = 23) Word Fluency (foods)1197 Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004

Psychological Measures Included in the CLHLS Estimates of Resource Potential for Well-Being Potential to Maximize Positive Well-Being (4 items, 5-point response scale) Optimism Do you always look on the bright side of things? Conscientiousness Do you like to keep your belongings neat and clean? Personal Control Can you make your own decisions about your personal affairs? Happiness Are you just as happy now as when you were younger? Potential to Minimize Negative Well-Being (3 items, 5-point response scale) Note. To estimate these resources we reverse coded all item responses. Low Neuroticism Do you often feel fearful or anxious? Low Loneliness Do you often feel lonely and isolated? High Self-Worth Do you feel that the older you get, the more useless you are? Gerstorf, Li, & Smith, 2004

Optimism Conscientiousness Sense of Personal Control Happiness Lo Neuroticism Lo Loneliness High Self-Worth (.43) RMSEA =.065 NFI =.95 Structure of Resources For Positive and Against Negative Well-Being Positive Lack of Negative Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004 Note. Differences in item format did not alter the factor structure significantly, but the factors were differently correlated in the various CLHLS samples.

Well-Being Was Relatively High…..But 1. There was Some Change (.25 SD) 2. Negative Well-Being Increased Over Time 3. Octogenarians Changed More than Centenarians Note. Scores for Lack of Negative Well-Being were reverse coded to have both dimensions in the same direction. * p <.05 or below. Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004 T Score

Optimism Conscientiousness Personal Control Happiness Neuroticism Loneliness Self-Worth Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004 Age Age 2002 Describes me... Often Sometimes Seldom Well-Being Was Relatively High…..But This CLHLS sample was positively selected for well-being Change in the negative side of well-being may be death-related

Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004 Well-Being Was Relatively High…..But There were substantial individual differences in amount and direction of change in well-being e.g., some individual change trajectories in cognitively fit centenarians Age Age 2002

Regression analyses predicting change revealed:  Age cohort effects eliminated if analyses restricted to cognitively fit participants (n = 855)  After partialing out level of well-being at 2000, cognitive fitness, engagement in life activities, social context (number of living children) and living in the city uniquely attenuated change in the positive side of well-being (R 2 = 7%)  After partialing out level of well-being at 2000, only gender uniquely attenuated change in the negative side of well-being (R 2 = 2%): Women changed more than men Moderators of 2-Year Change in Well-Being Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004

These findings need to be followed-up in the other CLHLS Samples and with other methods of analysis  Overall, despite constraints in objective life quality (e.g., functional health), long-lived individuals maintain reasonably high well-being. However, the capacity to adapt to cumulative losses is vulnerable.  Some evidence for the Rowe and Kahn (1997) model of successful aging: Engagement in activity uniquely predicted maintenance of the positive side of well-being over time, in centenarians and younger participants. Cognitive fitness is also very important.  Differential subgroup composition in the three age cohorts (selective attrition and distance-from-death) influence the findings: e.g., octogenarians changed more than centenarians and the capacity to minimize the negative side of well-being was reduced over time. Long-Lived Individuals Generally Maintain Their Capacity For Well-Being: The Paradox Remains (...Perhaps?) Gerstorf, Li, & Smith 2004