CONTROL BELIEFS AND LONGEVITY: ANALYSIS OF LEVEL AND CHANGE

Control beliefs, representing an individual’s perceived ability to meet the challenges of life, are associated with a host of positive developmental and health outcomes. However, less is known about how changes in control beliefs are related to health. Utilizing 20-year mortality data from a nationa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Innovation in aging 2017-07, Vol.1 (suppl_1), p.277-277
Main Authors: Turiano, N.A., Silva, N.M., Mehta, P.S., Spears, S.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Control beliefs, representing an individual’s perceived ability to meet the challenges of life, are associated with a host of positive developmental and health outcomes. However, less is known about how changes in control beliefs are related to health. Utilizing 20-year mortality data from a national sample of over 6,000 adults from the MIDUS study, we tested whether baseline levels of control beliefs, and 10-year change in control predicted mortality risk using Cox proportional hazards modeling. Net of age, sex, education, race, and marital status, results indicated that baseline control (HR = 0.89; CI = 0.84 - 0.94) as well as 10-year control change (HR = 0.85; CI = 0.77 – 0.94) predicted mortality risk. Individuals endorsing stronger control beliefs, as well as those who increased in control over the 10-year follow-up had substantially reduced hazards of dying. Findings underscore the dynamic shifts in psychological functioning are important for health and longevity.
ISSN:2399-5300
2399-5300
DOI:10.1093/geroni/igx004.1019