Self-perceptions of aging: A systematic review of longitudinal studies.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review of non-randomized longitudinal cohort studies
PubMed 34498894 · doi:10.1037/pag0000638
What was done
Systematic review of 21 longitudinal studies published in English assessing adults aged 50 years or older to evaluate the consequences of self-perceptions of aging (SPA). All included studies measured SPA using the Attitudes Toward Own Aging (ATOA) scale. Studies originated from the United States (10), Germany (7), Australia (2), Israel (1), and Switzerland (1). Outcomes evaluated were physiological (N = 15) and psychological (N = 6).
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical effect sizes, risk ratios, or confidence intervals. Directionally, more positive SPA was consistently associated with healthier longitudinal outcomes, including higher longevity, better self-rated health, lower obesity, improved performance in activities of daily living, less depression, slower cognitive decline, and reduced incidence of dementia across direct and indirect pathways.
Why it matters
The review provides longitudinal evidence supporting Stereotype Embodiment theory across physiological and psychological domains. It suggests positive perceptions of aging may be useful for public health messaging and clinical screening.
Limits
The abstract provides no numerical effect estimates or pooled meta-analytic metrics. Inclusion was restricted to English-language publications using one specific instrument (the ATOA scale) from five high-income countries, predominantly the United States and Germany. As a review of observational studies, residual confounding cannot be ruled out, and total participant count is not reported in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Research indicates that older adults with a positive attitude toward aging live longer and are less likely to develop dementia.