What Matters, and What Matters Most, for Change in Life Satisfaction in the Oldest-Old? A Study over 6 Years among Individuals 80+

Authors

Anne Ingeborg Berg, University of GothenburgFollow
Lesa Hoffman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Linda Björk Hassing, University of GothenburgFollow
Gerald M. McClearn, Pennsylvania State UniversityFollow
Boo Johansson, University of GothenburgFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

3-2009

Comments

Published in Aging & Mental Health (March 2009) 13(2): 191-201. Copyright 2009, Taylor and Francis. Used by permission. doi: 10.1080/13607860802342227.

Abstract

Objectives: The study investigates whether markers of life satisfaction identified in a cross-sectional study – quality of social network, self-rated health, depressive symptoms, locus of control and widowhood, in addition to financial satisfaction and the personality traits of extraversion and neuroticism - predict change in life satisfaction (LSI-Z) across four measurement occasions during a 6-year period in individuals aged 80+. Method: Data were drawn from the Swedish OCTO-Twin-study of individuals aged 80 and older. Results: Growth curve analysis showed a relatively consistent significant linear decline in life satisfaction, but certain markers predicted change in life satisfaction. The loss of spouse, in particular in men, and higher levels of depressive symptoms were related to lower levels of life satisfaction over time. Conclusion: The results from the study question the notion of a life-long stability of life satisfaction.