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Self-Acceptance and Interdependence Promote Longevity: Evidence From a 20-year Prospective Cohort Study

Author

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  • Reuben Ng

    (Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore 259772, Singapore
    Lloyds Register Foundation Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117602, Singapore)

  • Heather G. Allore

    (Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA)

  • Becca R. Levy

    (Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA)

Abstract

We explored psychosocial pathways to longevity, specifically, the association between psychological well-being and mortality in a 20-year prospective cohort study of 7626 participants. As hypothesized, high self-acceptance and interdependence were associated with decreased mortality risk, controlling for other psychological components (purpose, positive relations, growth, mastery) and potential confounders: personality, depression, self-rated health, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), illness, and demographics. Self-acceptance decreased mortality risk by 19% and added three years of life. Longevity expectation fully mediated the relationship between self-acceptance and mortality. Interdependence decreased mortality risk by 17% and added two years of life. Serenity towards death fully mediated the relationship between interdependence and mortality. This is the first known study to investigate self-acceptance, interdependence, and serenity toward death as promoters of longevity, and distilled the relative contributions of these factors, controlling for covariates—all of which were measured over multiple time points. Theoretically, this study suggests that components of well-being may make meaningful contributions to longevity, and practically recommend that self-acceptance and interdependence could be added to interventions to promote aging health.

Suggested Citation

  • Reuben Ng & Heather G. Allore & Becca R. Levy, 2020. "Self-Acceptance and Interdependence Promote Longevity: Evidence From a 20-year Prospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5980-:d:400300
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Becca R. Levy & Jeffrey M. Hausdorff & Rebecca Hencke & Jeanne Y. Wei, 2000. "Reducing Cardiovascular Stress With Positive Self-Stereotypes of Aging," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 55(4), pages 205-213.
    2. Reuben Ng & Si Qi Lim & Su Ying Saw & Kelvin Bryan Tan, 2020. "40-Year Projections of Disability and Social Isolation of Older Adults for Long-Range Policy Planning in Singapore," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-8, July.
    3. Robert S. Wilson & Carlos F. Mendes de Leon & Julia L. Bienias & Denis A. Evans & David A. Bennett, 2004. "Personality and Mortality in Old Age," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 59(3), pages 110-116.
    4. Reuben Ng & Becca Levy, 2018. "Pettiness: Conceptualization, measurement and cross-cultural differences," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, January.
    5. Richard Burns & M. Machin, 2009. "Investigating the Structural Validity of Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scales Across Two Samples," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 93(2), pages 359-375, September.
    6. Morera, O.F. & Castro, F.G., 2013. "Important considerations in conducting statistical mediation analyses," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 103(3), pages 394-396.
    7. Dimiter Philipov & Sergei Scherbov, 2020. "Subjective length of life of European individuals at older ages: Temporal and gender distinctions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-14, March.
    8. Post, Thomas & Hanewald, Katja, 2013. "Longevity risk, subjective survival expectations, and individual saving behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 200-220.
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    Cited by:

    1. Reuben Ng & Ting Yu Joanne Chow & Deborah Carr, 2021. "Aging Narratives Over 210 Years (1810–2019) [Images of old age in America 1790–1970—after a second look]," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 76(9), pages 1799-1807.
    2. Reuben Ng & Kelvin Bryan Tan, 2021. "Implementing an Individual-Centric Discharge Process across Singapore Public Hospitals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-7, August.
    3. Reuben Ng & Nicole Indran, 2021. "Societal Narratives on Caregivers in Asia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, October.

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