1 Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
2 Department of Music, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
Res Aging. 2019 Sep;41(8):751-771. doi: 10.1177/0164027519845115. Epub 2019 Apr 28.
Physical changes are an inevitable part of the aging process. However, research has demonstrated inconclusive findings with regard to body image among older adults. This study attempts to clarify the utility of body image among this age-group, by adopting the framework of terror management theory. It is suggested that a positive body image may moderate the connection between two types of death concerns and psychological distress: subjective nearness-to-death and death anxiety. A convenience sample of 386 community-dwelling older adults, aged 60-97, filled scales measuring subjective nearness-to-death, positive body image, psychological distress, and death anxiety. A significant negative association was found between a positive body image and distress. Moreover, positive body image moderated the connection between distress and both subjective nearness-to-death and death anxiety. Thus, holding a positive image of the body seems to be an important resource for older adults when death is perceived to be near.
身体变化是衰老过程中不可避免的一部分。然而，研究表明，老年人的身体意象存在不确定的结论。本研究试图通过采用恐怖管理理论框架，阐明身体意象在这一年龄组中的作用。研究提出，积极的身体意象可能会调节两种死亡关注与心理困扰之间的联系：主观接近死亡和死亡焦虑。本研究采用方便抽样法，选取了 386 名年龄在 60-97 岁之间的社区居住的老年人，让他们填写了衡量主观接近死亡、积极身体意象、心理困扰和死亡焦虑的量表。研究发现，积极的身体意象与困扰之间存在显著的负相关。此外，积极的身体意象还调节了困扰与主观接近死亡和死亡焦虑之间的联系。因此，当老年人认为死亡临近时，持有积极的身体意象似乎是一个重要的资源。
