Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.
Psychol Aging. 2011 Jun;26(2):488-502. doi: 10.1037/a0022287.
We charted daily variations in intrusive thoughts to gain access to adult age differences in affective reactivity to daily stressors. On 100 days, 101 younger and 103 older adults reported stressors, intrusive thoughts, and negative affect. Although increments in intrusive thoughts were similar in both age groups on days with stressors, older adults' negative affect increased less than younger adults' on such days. In addition, (a) levels of intrusive thoughts and negative affect across study time were positively associated; (b) days with increased thoughts were days with increased negative affect; and (c) experiencing above-average intrusive thoughts about stressors strengthened affective reactions to stress. Relative to younger adults, all three associations were reduced in older adults. We tentatively conclude that normal aging dampens the stress-induced link between intrusive thoughts and affect. This dampening may contribute to preserved affective well-being and reduced affective reactivity to daily stress in old age.
我们绘制了侵入性思维的日常变化图，以了解成年人对日常应激源的情绪反应的年龄差异。在 100 天里，101 名年轻成年人和 103 名年长成年人报告了应激源、侵入性思维和负面情绪。尽管在有应激源的日子里，两个年龄组的侵入性思维增加相似，但在这些日子里，年长成年人的负面情绪增加少于年轻成年人。此外，(a) 研究期间侵入性思维和负面情绪的水平呈正相关；(b) 思维增加的日子伴随着负面情绪的增加；(c) 经历与应激源相关的过度侵入性思维会增强对应激的情绪反应。与年轻成年人相比，所有这三种关联在年长成年人中都有所减弱。我们初步得出结论，正常衰老减弱了应激引起的侵入性思维和情绪之间的联系。这种减弱可能有助于保持老年时的情感幸福感和减少对日常压力的情绪反应。
