Influence of emotional regulation on successful aging among Thai older adults

Abstract

Purpose - Successful aging represents a positive development in older adults. The emphasis on aging well has sought to understand resources such as emotional regulation that facilitates healthy and happy aging. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of two common emotional regulation strategies (i.e. cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) on successful aging among Thai older adults. Design/methodology/approach - The participants selected for this paper were 150 older adults living in Bangkok and adjacent areas. Their mean age was 69.7 (±6.7) years old. Instruments were the Successful Aging Inventory and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Each participant voluntarily completed an individual self -reported questionnaire. Findings - The results revealed that the two emotional regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) have collectively explained 6 percent of the variance of successful aging. The cognitive reappraisal strategy was a sole significant predictor (β=0.20). Originality/value - Promoting emotional regulation strategies in particular a cognitive reappraisal strategy among Thai older adults can facilitate their cognitive functioning, and their successful aging.

Keywords

• Emotional regulation
• Successful ageing
• Thai older adults