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Suitability of the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire Short Form for Use among Adults in Their 50s: A Cross-Sectional e-Survey Study

Author

Listed:
  • Gail Low

    (Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada)

  • Alex Bacadini França

    (Laboratory of Human Development and Cognition, Federal University of São Carlos, São Paulo 13566-590, Brazil)

  • Donna M. Wilson

    (Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada)

  • Gloria Gutman

    (Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC V6B 5K3, Canada)

  • Sofia von Humboldt

    (William James Center for Research, ISPA—Instituto Universitário, 1149-041 Lisbon, Portugal)

Abstract

This cross-sectional e-survey study examines the suitability (reliability and validity) of the 12-item Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire Short Form (AAQ-SF) for use among adults in their 50s. The AAQ-SF instrument was originally designed to capture subjective perceptions of physical change, psychosocial loss, and psychological growth by asking people aged 60 and beyond how they feel about growing older. Our sample comprised 517 people residing in three Canadian provinces. Respondents completed the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire Short Form, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a short sociodemographic profile. Our findings replicate the original AAQ-SF structure for physical change, psychosocial loss, and psychological growth, with a promising internal consistency range for the third subscale. In our sample, psychological growth is best represented as ‘Self’ and ‘Generativity’, with a particularly greater capacity to explain variations in scores for item 18 and item 21. Physical change and psychosocial loss scores strongly differed based on perceived health and chronic illness presence. Psychosocial loss and psychological growth were moderately correlated with two aspects of self-esteem. We relate these patterns of findings within the context of prevailing growth and development theory and their perceived implications within the context of COVID-19 and post-pandemic life.

Suggested Citation

  • Gail Low & Alex Bacadini França & Donna M. Wilson & Gloria Gutman & Sofia von Humboldt, 2023. "Suitability of the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire Short Form for Use among Adults in Their 50s: A Cross-Sectional e-Survey Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(22), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:22:p:7035-:d:1276353
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    3. Terence C. Cheng & Nattavudh Powdthavee & Andrew J. Oswald, 2017. "Longitudinal Evidence for a Midlife Nadir in Human Well‐being: Results from Four Data Sets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 127(599), pages 126-142, February.
    4. David G. Blanchflower & Andrew J. Oswald, 2019. "Do Humans Suffer a Psychological Low in Midlife? Two Approaches (With and Without Controls) in Seven Data Sets," Springer Books, in: Mariano Rojas (ed.), The Economics of Happiness, chapter 0, pages 439-453, Springer.
    5. Sonia Mukhtar, 2020. "Psychological health during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic outbreak," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(5), pages 512-516, August.
    6. Monika Ardelt & Dilip V Jeste, 2018. "Wisdom and Hard Times: The Ameliorating Effect of Wisdom on the Negative Association Between Adverse Life Events and Well-Being," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(8), pages 1374-1383.
    7. Ehud Bodner & Liat Ayalon & Sharon Avidor & Yuval Palgi, 2017. "Accelerated increase and relative decrease in subjective age and changes in attitudes toward own aging over a 4-year period: results from the Health and Retirement Study," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 17-27, March.
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