Change in Life Satisfaction During Adulthood: Findings From the Veterans Affairs Normative Aging Study

Change in life satisfaction was modeled over a 22-year period in 1,927 men. A curvilinear relationship emerged. Growth-curve models indicated that life satisfaction peaked at age 65 and then declined, but showed significant individual differences in rate of change. Extraversion predicted variability...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2005-01, Vol.88 (1), p.189-202
Main Authors: Mroczek, Daniel K, Spiro, Avron
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult Development
Adult. Elderly
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Aging - psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Developmental psychology
Extraversion (Psychology)
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health
Health Status
Human
Humans
Individual Differences
Life Change Events
Life Satisfaction
Linear Models
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Marital Status
Middle Aged
Personal Satisfaction
Personality
Personality Traits
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Quality of life
Time Factors
United States
United States Department of Veterans Affairs - statistics & numerical data
Veterans - psychology
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Summary:Change in life satisfaction was modeled over a 22-year period in 1,927 men. A curvilinear relationship emerged. Growth-curve models indicated that life satisfaction peaked at age 65 and then declined, but showed significant individual differences in rate of change. Extraversion predicted variability in change, with higher levels associated with a high and flat life satisfaction trajectory. Time-varying physical health and marital status were associated with higher life satisfaction. Proximity to death was associated with a decline in life satisfaction. On measurement occasions that were within 1 year before death, trajectories showed steeper decline, and this effect was not attributable to declines in self-rated physical health. The findings are at odds with prior (cross-sectional) research showing that subjective well-being improves with aging.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.88.1.189