Attitudes Towards Aging - an Explanatory Mechanism for the Relationship Between Perceived Age Discrimination and Successful Aging

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to investigate how age discrimination affects successful aging, but also whether internalizing negative attitudes towards old age explains the relationship between the two variables. Materials and Methods: The study involved 391 people aged between 35 and 90, 315 women and 76 men. The tools used were The Fraboni Scale of Ageism, Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire, and Successful Aging Inventory. Outcomes: According to the results, there was no statistically significant correlation between perceptions of age discrimination and successful aging. Also, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between negative attitudes towards aging and successful aging. Finally, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the perception of age discrimination and negative attitudes towards aging. Conclusions: The approach in the present study allows for a deeper understanding of subjective perceptions of one’s own aging. The study investigated two variables that may have relevance in understanding subjective successful aging - perceived age discrimination and negative attitudes toward aging. The results allow us to better understand the antecedents of successful aging and their importance.

Keywords

• successful aging
• age discrimination
• negative attitudes towards aging
• life course
• personal attitudes