Hülür Gizem, Drewelies Johanna, Eibich Peter, Düzel Sandra, Demuth Ilja, Ghisletta Paolo, Steinhagen-Thiessen Elisabeth, Wagner Gert G, Lindenberger Ulman, Gerstorf Denis
Institute of Psychology, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
Gerontology. 2016;62(3):354-61. doi: 10.1159/000438991. Epub 2016 Jan 29.
Lifespan psychological and life course sociological perspectives indicate that individual development is shaped by social and historical circumstances. Increases in fluid cognitive performance over the last century are well documented and researchers have begun examining historical trends in personality and subjective well-being in old age. Relatively less is known about secular changes in other key components of psychosocial function among older adults.
In the present study, we examined cohort differences in key components of psychosocial function, including subjective age, control beliefs, and perceived social integration, as indicated by loneliness and availability of very close others.
We compared data obtained 20 years apart in the Berlin Aging Study (in 1990-1993) and the Berlin Aging Study II (in 2013-2014) and identified case-matched cohort groups based on age, gender, cohort-normed education, and marital or partner status (n = 153 in each cohort, mean age = 75 years). In follow-up analyses, we controlled for having lived in former East versus West Germany, physical diseases, cohort-normed household income, cognitive performance, and the presence of a religious affiliation.
Consistently across analyses, we found that, relative to the earlier-born BASE cohort (year of birth: mean = 1916; SD = 3.38 years; range = 1901-1922), participants in the BASE-II sample (year of birth: mean = 1939; SD = 3.22 years; range = 1925-1949) reported lower levels of external control beliefs (d = -1.01) and loneliness (d = -0.63). Cohorts did not differ in subjective age, availability of very close others, and internal control beliefs.
Taken together, our findings suggest that some aspects of psychosocial function of older adults have improved across the two recent decades. We discuss the possible role of sociocultural factors that might have led to the observed set of cohort differences.
寿命心理学和生命历程社会学的观点表明，个体发展受社会和历史环境的影响。上个世纪流体认知能力的提升有充分记录，研究人员已开始研究老年期人格和主观幸福感的历史趋势。对于老年人心理社会功能其他关键组成部分的长期变化，人们了解相对较少。
在本研究中，我们考察了心理社会功能关键组成部分的队列差异，包括主观年龄、控制信念以及通过孤独感和亲密他人的可获得性所体现的感知社会融合。
我们比较了在相隔20年的时间里分别于柏林老龄研究（1990 - 1993年）和柏林老龄研究II（2013 - 2014年）中获得的数据，并根据年龄、性别、队列标准化教育程度以及婚姻或伴侣状况确定了病例匹配的队列组（每个队列n = 153，平均年龄 = 75岁）。在后续分析中，我们控制了曾居住在原东德还是西德、身体疾病、队列标准化家庭收入、认知能力以及宗教信仰情况。
在各项分析中均一致发现，相对于较早出生的BASE队列（出生年份：均值 = 1916；标准差 = 3.38岁；范围 = 1901 - 1922年），BASE-II样本（出生年份：均值 = 1939；标准差 = 3.22岁；范围 = 1925 - 1949年）的参与者报告的外部控制信念水平较低（d = -1.01），孤独感也较低（d = -0.63）。队列在主观年龄、亲密他人的可获得性以及内部控制信念方面没有差异。
总体而言，我们的研究结果表明，近二十年来老年人心理社会功能的某些方面有所改善。我们讨论了可能导致所观察到的队列差异的社会文化因素的潜在作用。
