Physical Decline and Psychological Wellbeing in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Investigation of Several Potential Buffering Factors

Abstract

This longitudinal study, involving 233 older Australians (mean age = 61.96 yrs, SD = 8.89; females = 61 %), investigated whether decline in physical health was a reliable negative predictor of psychological wellbeing, and whether this relation was moderated by three individual difference variables (sense of coherence, positive life attitudes, and perceived social support). After controlling for psychological wellbeing at Time 1 and several demographic covariates, there was a significant negative association between physical decline and psychological wellbeing 3 years later at Time 2. As predicted by the buffering hypothesis, moderation analysis revealed this association was significantly attenuated for respondents who reported higher levels of social support relative to those with less support. Contrary to our predictions, the magnitude of the relationship between physical decline and psychological wellbeing did not vary as function of sense of coherence and positive life attitudes, suggesting that these factors may not buffer older adults against the possible negative psychological effects of age-related declines in physical health.