47 results on '"Hans-Werner Wahl"'
Search Results
2. Awareness of age-related change in very different cultural-political contexts: A cross-cultural examination of aging in Burkina Faso and Germany
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Anton Schönstein, Anna Schlomann, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Till Bärnighausen
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views on aging ,AARC ,subjective age ,health ,life span development ,Psychiatry ,RC435-571 - Abstract
Combining recent developments in research on personal views on aging (VoA) and a cross-country comparative approach, this study examined awareness of age-related change (AARC) in samples from rural Burkina Faso and Germany. The aims of this study were (1) to examine for an assumed proportional shift in the relationship between gains/losses toward more losses as predicted by life span psychology; (2) to estimate the association between AARC dimensions and subjective age; and (3) to examine the association between health variables and AARC. A cross-sectional method involving a large, representative sample from rural Burkina Faso that included participants aged 40 and older (N = 3,028) and a smaller convenience sample of German respondents aged 50 years and older (N = 541) were used to address these questions. A proportional shift toward more AARC-losses was more clearly observable in the sample from Burkina Faso as compared to the German reference. In both samples, subjective age was consistently more strongly related to AARC-losses than to AARC-gains. Within the sample from Burkina Faso, differential associations of AARC-gains and AARC-losses to health variables could be shown. In conclusion, the findings support key tenets of life span psychology including that age-related gains occur even late in life and that a shift toward more losses occurs with increasing age. Also, feeling subjectively younger may indeed be more strongly guided by lowered negative aging experiences than by increased positive ones.
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- 2023
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3. Exploring biomarkers in routine diagnostics for the risk stratification of older patients in the Chest Pain Unit: a prospective cohort study
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Hugo A Katus, Norbert Frey, Evangelos Giannitsis, Philipp Bahrmann, Anna Lisa Kunz, Anton Schönstein, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Anke Bahrmann
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Medicine - Abstract
Objectives This study aims to estimate the association of the often, in daily clinical practice, used biological age-related biomarkers high-sensitivity troponin-T (hs-TnT), C reactive protein (CRP) and haemoglobin (Hb) with all-cause mortality for the purpose of older patient’s risk stratification in the emergency department (ED).Design Exploratory, prospective cohort study with a follow-up at 2.5 years after recruitment started. For the predictors, data from the hospital files including the routinely applied biological age-related biomarkers hs-TnT, CRP and Hb were supplemented by a questionnaire.Setting A cardiological ED, Chest Pain Unit, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.Participants N=256 cardiological ED patients with a minimum age of 70 years and the capability to informed consent.Primary outcome measures The primary outcome of this study was all-cause mortality which was assessed by requesting registry office information.Results Among N=256 patients 63 died over the follow-up period. Positive results in each of the three biomarkers alone as well as the combination were associated with increased all-cause mortality at follow-up. The number of positive age-related biomarkers appeared to be strongly indicative of the risk of mortality, even when controlled for major confounders (age, sex, body mass index, creatinine clearance and comorbidity).Conclusions In older ED patients, biomarkers explicitly related to biological ageing processes such as hs-TnT, CRP and Hb were to a certain degree independently of each other as well as combined associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Thus, they may have the potential to be used to supplement the general risk stratification of older patients in the ED. Validation of the results in a large dataset is needed.
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- 2022
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4. Awareness of age-related change in the context of major life events
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Fiona S. Rupprecht, Serena Sabatini, Manfred Diehl, Denis Gerstorf, Roman Kaspar, Oliver K. Schilling, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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subjective aging ,family events ,health events ,lifespan development ,developmental change ,developmental gains ,Psychiatry ,RC435-571 - Abstract
Although gains and losses are an integral part of human development, the experience of change and readjustment that often comes with major life events may be particularly influential for an individual's subjective aging experience and awareness of age-related change (AARC). Thus, this study focused on the role of life events in the domains of family and health for an individual's awareness of age-related gains and losses. Specifically, we differentiated between the experience of specific life events (e.g., entering a new romantic relationship; hospital stay) and the cumulative experience of multiple life events. Furthermore, we differentiated between life events experienced at an expected time in life and life events experienced relatively early or relatively late compared to established social norms. Data came from the Innovation Sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP-IS) and consisted of 1,612 participants aged 16 to 93 years (M = 54.1; SD = 18.2). Life events were assessed annually and retrospectively for the last 2 years. Propensity score matching provided evidence for an association of specific family life events and a higher awareness of age-related gains, as well as specific health life events and a higher awareness of age-related losses. Results furthermore indicated that the cumulative experience of family life events was associated with a higher awareness of age-related gains. Conversely, the cumulative experience of health events was associated with higher awareness of both age-related losses and age-related gains. Moreover, it was not only life events happening at an expected age, but also those happening relatively early and particularly those happening late in life, which were associated with AARC. In summary, life events and the change they may bring seem to be reflected in individuals' awareness of age-related losses and awareness of age-related gains.
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- 2022
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5. Awareness of age-related change is associated with attitudes toward technology and technology skills among older adults
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Anna Schlomann, Nicole Memmer, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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views on aging ,subjective age ,internet ,ICT ,digital ,old age ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
Despite much research in the context of aging and technology, the role of Views on aging (VoA) for differences in technology use and attitudes among older adults has rarely been studied so far. This study focuses on the associations between a multidimensional measure of VoA and technology use, technology skills, and attitudes toward technology in a sample of older adults (n = 369, age range: 65–93 years, 48.2% male). We apply the concept of Awareness of age-related change (AARC) to examine the role of positive (AARC-Gains) and negative (AARC-Losses) self-perceptions of aging. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. The results showed positive associations of AARC-Gains with technology skills and technology attitudes. For AARC-Losses, we identified negative associations with technology skills, technology attitudes as well as general technology use. In contrast, associations between subjective age (SA) and all technology-related measures were non-significant. The results stress the importance to consider multidimensional measures of VoA to gain a better understanding of the associations between an individuals’ experiencing of own aging processes and technology adoption. More research is needed to determine the stability of these findings in other samples and for other kinds of technology use and attitudes.
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- 2022
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6. Editorial: Psycho-Behavioral Factors and Longevity
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Macarena Sánchez-Izquierdo, Hans-Werner Wahl, Oscar Ribeiro, and Rocío Fernández-Ballesteros
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longevity ,aging ,psycho-behavioral factors ,personality ,intelligence ,emotion ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Published
- 2022
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7. Awareness of Age-Related Changes Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Longitudinal Trajectories, and the Role of Age Stereotypes and Personality Traits
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Markus Wettstein, Anna E. Kornadt, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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age stereotypes ,personality ,neuroticism ,midlife ,old age ,views on aging ,Psychiatry ,RC435-571 - Abstract
Awareness of Age-Related Change (AARC) describes to what extent people become aware of changes which they attribute to getting older. So far little is known regarding how different AARC dimensions change over time, to what extent these changes in different domains of AARC gains and losses are interrelated, and which predictors account for inter-individual differences in within-person longitudinal trajectories. Specifically, the extent to which individuals perceive age-related gains and losses might be shaped by their chronological age, their personality as well as by their general views on aging (i.e., their age stereotypes). We investigated changes in global and domain-specific AARC gains and losses over about five years in a sample of originally N = 423 participants aged 40 to 98 years at baseline. We analyzed the role of personality traits and age stereotypes for levels and changes of AARC, taking into account participants' age at baseline and controlling for gender, education, and subjective health. Based on longitudinal multilevel regression models, we observed mean-level declines in most AARC gain domains. In contrast, perceived general AARC losses, as well as AARC losses in health and physical functioning, in cognitive functioning and in social-cognitive/socio-emotional functioning remained, on average, stable over time. Baseline scores on AARC gains (global scale) were higher among individuals with higher neuroticism, openness, conscientiousness and more positive age stereotypes. Additionally, the association of higher neuroticism with higher AARC gain scores was stronger among individuals with more positive age stereotypes. Higher neuroticism and more negative age stereotypes also predicted higher baseline scores on AARC losses (global scale). At the same time, higher neuroticism was associated with a steeper decrease in AARC loss perceptions over time. Most of the intercorrelations within the intercepts and within the intra-individual trajectories of the different AARC domains were positive, but small in size. Our findings show the importance of considering trajectories of age-related gains and losses in parallel and across multiple developmental domains when investigating the subjective perception of the aging process. They also suggest that personality traits and general age stereotypes are related with individual experiences of aging.
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- 2022
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8. Trajectories of Pain in Very Old Age: The Role of Eudaimonic Wellbeing and Personality
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Markus Wettstein, Oliver Karl Schilling, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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neuroticism ,extraversion ,terminal decline ,purpose in life ,autonomy ,primary aging ,Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system ,RC346-429 - Abstract
Pain is common in very old age and in the last years prior to death. However, little is known regarding longitudinal trajectories of pain in very old age and at the end of life. Moreover, whereas medical and morbidity-related factors contributing to pain are established, the role of psychosocial factors, such as eudaimonic wellbeing or personality as potential determinants of late-life pain trajectories has so far not been sufficiently investigated. We used data from the LateLine project. The sample consisted of n = 118 very old adults (M = 90.5 years, SD = 2.8 years) who were living alone at baseline and who had died between 2009 and 2021. They took part in up to 16 measurement occasions (M = 5.2, SD = 4.7, range 1–16) within an observational interval of 7 years. Assessment of pain was based on the SF-36 bodily pain subscale. Key indicators of eudaimonic wellbeing (autonomy, environmental mastery, and purpose in life) as well two of the Big Five personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) were included as predictors. We controlled in all analyses for gender, education, subjective health, and depressive symptoms. Contrasting pain trajectories over chronological age (time since birth) vs. time to death, a time-to-death-related model resulted in a better model fit and accounted for a larger amount of pain variability than the age-related model. Mean-level change in pain, both over age and time to death, was not significant, but there was substantial interindividual variability in intraindividual trajectories. Age-related change in pain was significantly predicted by autonomy and neuroticism, with increasing pain among those who had lower initial autonomy scores and higher initial neuroticism scores. With regard to time-to-death-related trajectories of pain, higher purpose in life as well as lower extraversion at baseline predicted less increase or even steeper decrease in pain with approaching death. Our findings suggest that, despite overall mean-level stability in pain both over age and time to death, there is a substantial proportion of individuals who reveal deterioration in pain over time. Regarding the role of psychosocial predictors, personality traits and eudaimonic wellbeing are related with late-life pain trajectories both over age and time-to-death.
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- 2022
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9. 'Aging Means to Me… That I Feel Lonely More Often'? An Experimental Study on the Effects of Age Simulation Regarding Views on Aging
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Laura I. Schmidt, Anna Schlomann, Thomas Gerhardy, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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age simulation ,awareness of age-related change ,aging-related cognitions ,age stereotypes ,risk perception ,technology acceptance ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
Over the last decades, educational programs involving age simulation suits (ASS) emerged with the ambition to further the understanding of age-related loss experiences, enhance empathy and reduce negative attitudes toward older adults in healthcare settings and in younger age groups at large. However, the impact of such “instant aging” interventions on individuals’ personal views on aging have not been studied yet. The aim of the current study is to address possible effects of ASS interventions on multiple outcomes related to views on aging, i.e., aging-related cognitions (i.e., expectations regarding social losses), awareness of age-related change (AARC) and age stereotypes. Moreover, we explore effects on broader constructs with relevance to aging, i.e., perceived obsolescence, risk perceptions, as well as desired support through technology. In a within-subjects design, N = 40 participants (M = 61.4 years, SD = 6.16) went through a series of established geriatric assessments (i.e., Timed up and Go) with and without an ASS. Views on aging constructs were assessed in standardized questionnaires before and after the ASS intervention. Changes in aging-related cognitions were observed, with more negative expectations regarding social integration and continuous development after wearing the ASS. AARC and age stereotypes did not change from pre- to post-assessment, but participants reported an increased susceptibility to age-associated impairments and stronger feelings of obsolescence. Those participants who exhibited higher difficulties in geriatric assessments while wearing the suit reported higher openness to be supported by intelligent assistive devices or robots afterwards. We conclude that ASS interventions should only be combined with education on losses and gains during the aging process to prevent negative effects on individual views on aging. On the other hand, potentials regarding technology acceptance and formation of intentions to engage in prevention and health behaviors among middle-aged to young-old adults are discussed.
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- 2022
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10. Associations of Wellbeing Levels, Changes, and Within-Person Variability With Late-Life All-Cause Mortality Across 12 Years: Contrasting Hedonic vs. Eudaimonic Wellbeing Among Very Old Adults
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Oliver Karl Schilling, Markus Wettstein, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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very old age ,late-life mortality ,longevity ,hedonic wellbeing ,eudaimonic wellbeing ,autonomy ,Psychology ,BF1-990 - Abstract
Advanced old age has been characterized as a biologically highly vulnerable life phase. Biological, morbidity-, and cognitive impairment-related factors play an important role as mortality predictors among very old adults. However, it is largely unknown whether previous findings confirming the role of different wellbeing domains for mortality translate to survival among the oldest-old individuals. Moreover, the distinction established in the wellbeing literature between hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing as well as the consideration of within-person variability of potentially relevant mortality predictors has not sufficiently been addressed in prior mortality research. In this study, we examined a broad set of hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing indicators, including their levels, their changes, as well as their within-person variability, as predictors of all-cause mortality in a sample of very old individuals. We used data from the LateLine study, a 7-year longitudinal study based on a sample of n = 124 individuals who were living alone and who were aged 87–97 years (M = 90.6, SD = 2.9) at baseline. Study participants provided up to 16 measurement occasions (mean number of measurement occasions per individual = 5.50, SD = 4.79) between 2009 and 2016. Dates of death were available for 118 individuals (95.2%) who had deceased between 2009 and 2021. We ran longitudinal multilevel structural equation models and specified between-person level differences, within-person long-term linear change trends, as well as the “detrended” within-person variability in three indicators of hedonic (i.e., life satisfaction and positive and negative affect) and four indicators of eudaimonic wellbeing (i.e., purpose in life, autonomy, environmental mastery, and self-acceptance) as all-cause mortality predictors. Controlling for age, gender, education, and physical condition and testing our sets of hedonic and eudaimonic indictors separately in terms of their mortality impact, solely one eudaimonic wellbeing indicator, namely, autonomy, showed significant effects on survival. Surprisingly, autonomy appeared “paradoxically” related with mortality, with high individual levels and intraindividual highly stable perceptions of autonomy being associated with a shorter residual lifetime. Thus, it seems plausible that accepting dependency and changing perceptions of autonomy over time in accordance with objectively remaining capabilities might become adaptive for survival in very old age.
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- 2022
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11. Understanding IT-related Well-being, Aging and Health Needs of Older Adults with Crowd-Requirements Engineering.
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Leon Radeck, Barbara Paech, Franziska Kramer-Gmeiner, Markus Wettstein, Hans-Werner Wahl, Anna-Lena Schubert, and Uwe Sperling
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- 2022
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12. Experimental Studies on Subjective Views of Aging: Overview, Challenges, and Future Directions
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Hans-Werner-Wahl, Kornadt, Anna E., Powell, Jason L., Series Editor, Chen, Sheying, Series Editor, Palgi, Yuval, editor, Shrira, Amit, editor, and Diehl, Manfred, editor
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- 2022
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13. Longitudinal effects of subjective aging on health and longevity: An updated meta-analysis
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Gerben J. Westerhof, Abigail M. Nehrkorn-Bailey, Han-Yun Tseng, Allyson Brothers, Jelena Sophie Siebert, Susanne Wurm, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Manfred Diehl
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Aging ,Social Psychology ,Geriatrics and Gerontology - Published
- 2023
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14. The Challenge of Emotions—An Experimental Approach to Assess the Emotional Competence of People with Intellectual Disabilities
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Torsten Hammann, Manuel M. Schwartze, Peter Zentel, Anna Schlomann, Christiane Even, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Christian Rietz
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intellectual disability (ID) ,emotions ,emotion recognition ,International Affective Picture System (IAPS) ,technology ,Affectiva - Abstract
Emotions influence processes of learning and thinking in all people. However, there is a lack of studies in the field of emotion research including people with intellectual disabilities (ID) addressing the existing diversity. The present study investigates the emotional competence of people with ID (N = 32). The first aim was to assess the emotional development using the Scale of Emotional Development (SEED). Based on these insights, the second objective was to replicate existing findings, validating the emotional reaction of people with ID to pictures of the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) based on self-reports. In an additional pilot-like analysis, the third aim was to investigate if these self-reported emotional reactions match the emotions expressed in their faces using the automated and video-based facial expression analysis software ‘Affectiva (Affdex SDK)’. In the present study, the self-reported emotional reactions of participants with ID were in line with previous research. In addition, the present study shows the general potential of this innovative approach of using and applying commercially available automated emotion recognition software for the field of special needs and social science.
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- 2022
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15. Benefits and challenges of conversational agents in older adults
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Christiane Even, Torsten Hammann, Vera Heyl, Christian Rietz, Hans-Werner Wahl, Peter Zentel, and Anna Schlomann
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Issues, ethics and legal aspects ,Health (social science) ,Communication ,Intellectual Disability ,Quality of Life ,Humans ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Delivery of Health Care ,Gerontology ,Aged - Abstract
Commercial conversational agents (CAs) bear the promise of low threshold accessibility for individuals with limited digital competencies. This applies not only for healthy aging older adults but also for specific subgroups such as those with life-long intellectual disabilities (ID).This scoping review aims to synthesize the current evidence on benefits and challenges of CAs for older adults with and without ID. In doing so, we hope to inform future research as well as practical decision-making in the context of CAs as potential quality of life enhancers for older adults with various competence levels.A literature search was conducted in form of a scoping review. A total of 841 publications were screened for benefits and challenges of CAs, resulting in an extraction of 18 articles targeting healthy aging older adults (60 years+) and 5 articles targeting older adults with ID (50 years+) for synthesis.The existing evidence suggests that CAs come with more benefits than challenges, e.g., general ease of use, easier information access, and feelings of companionship. Higher perceived agency due to using a CA seems to be a specific issue for older adults with ID. Challenges concern mostly learning how to use a CA and privacy concerns.The results indicate that CAs can serve as quality of life enhancers both in healthy aging adults and in older adults with ID; nevertheless, thoughtful preparation is necessary, especially in relation to learning needs, capabilities present and privacy concerns.HINTERGRUND: Kommerzielle konversationelle Agenten (KAs) versprechen eine niedrigschwellige Zugänglichkeit für Personen mit eingeschränkten digitalen Kompetenzen. Dies gilt für gesund alternde ältere Menschen, aber auch für bestimmte Untergruppen wie Ältere mit lebenslanger geistiger Behinderung (gB). ZIEL: Dieses Scoping-Review zielt auf eine Synthese der aktuellen Forschung zu Nutzen und Herausforderungen von KAs für ältere Menschen mit und ohne gB ab. Damit soll eine Grundlage für Forschung und Praxis im Zusammenhang mit KAs als potenziellen Verstärkungsfaktoren für die Lebensqualität älterer Menschen mit verschiedenen Kompetenzniveaus geschaffen werden.Die Literaturrecherche wurde in Form eines Scoping-Reviews durchgeführt. Es wurden insgesamt 841 Publikationen gesichtet und 18 Artikel zu gesund alternden älteren Menschen (≥ 60 Jahre) sowie 5 Artikel zu älteren Menschen mit gB (≥ 50 Jahre) in die Synthese eingeschlossen.Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass KAs mehr Vorteile als Herausforderungen mit sich bringen, z. B. insgesamt eine einfache Nutzung, ein leichterer Zugang zu Informationen sowie das Gefühl von Gesellschaft. Eine höhere Wahrnehmung von Handlungsmacht aufgrund der KA-Nutzung scheint ein spezielles Ergebnis für ältere Menschen mit gB zu sein. Herausforderungen betreffen das Erlernen der Nutzung eines KA und Bedenken hinsichtlich der Privatsphäre.KAs können die Lebensqualität sowohl bei gesund alternden Erwachsenen als auch bei älteren Erwachsenen mit gB verbessern. Dennoch ist eine sorgfältige Vorbereitung erforderlich, insbesondere in Bezug auf die Lernbedarfe, vorhandene Fähigkeiten sowie Bedenken zur Privatsphäre.
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- 2022
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16. Awareness of Age-Related Gains and Losses in a National Sample of Adults Aged 80 Years and Older: Cross-Sectional Associations with Health Correlates
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Roman Kaspar, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Manfred Diehl
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Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
Background and Objectives Advanced old age is a life stage with a high likelihood of age-related loss experiences. However, little is known about remaining gain experiences and their relation with perceived losses and health correlates in community-dwelling very old adults. Moreover, virtually nothing is known in this regard about the experiences of individuals in long-term care settings. First, we strived to establish the normative course of age-related gains and losses in advanced old age. Second, we examined whether such gain/loss perceptions in advanced aging moderated health correlates. Research Design and Methods Data came from the nationally representative survey “Old Age in Germany D80+” conducted in 2020/2021. The sample comprised 10,578 individuals aged 80 to 106 years, including 587 individuals in long-term care. We used the multidimensional Awareness of Age-Related Change (AARC) questionnaire and moderated regression to analyze associations with late-life health and functioning correlates. Results Levels of AARC-Gains were higher than those of AARC-Losses across most of the age range. Long-term care residents showed more AARC-Losses and fewer AARC-Gains compared to community-dwelling adults and contributed significantly to an overall negative balance of more losses than gains in those aged 90 years or older. Regarding functional health and autonomy, negative age effects were amplified by AARC-Losses, but buffered by AARC-Gains. A more positive ratio of gains-to-losses predicted better health and functioning. Discussion and Implications Findings suggest that the loss aspect of development in very late life might have been overstated in the existing literature. Perceived gains and losses are of critical importance for the understanding of health correlates in very old age.
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- 2023
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17. Subjective age and attitudes toward own aging across two decades of historical time
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Sandra Duezel, Denis Gerstorf, Elisabeth Steinhagen-Thiessen, Hans-Werner Wahl, Margie E. Lachman, Jacqui Smith, Peter Eibich, Gert G. Wagner, Johanna Drewelies, Ulman Lindenberger, Ilja Demuth, and Nilam Ram
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Gerontology ,Aging ,Social Psychology ,Emotions ,Cognition ,PsycINFO ,United States ,Article ,Attitude ,Humans ,Cognitive skill ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Empirical evidence ,Psychology ,Psychosocial ,Aged - Abstract
A large body of empirical evidence has accumulated showing that the experience of old age is "younger," more "agentic," and "happier" than ever before. However, it is not yet known whether historical improvements in well-being, control beliefs, cognitive functioning, and other outcomes generalize to individuals' views on their own aging process. To examine historical changes in such views on aging, we compared matched cohorts of older adults within two independent studies that assessed differences across a two-decade interval, the Berlin Aging Studies (BASE; 1990/1993 vs. 2017/2018, each n = 256, Mage = 77) and the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS; 1995/1996 vs. 2013/14, each n = 848, Mage = 67). Consistent across four different dimensions of individuals' subjective views on aging (age felt, age appeared, desired age, and attitudes toward own aging) in the BASE and corroborated with subjective age felt and subjective age desired in the MIDUS, there was no evidence whatsoever that older adults of today have more favorable views on how they age than older adults did two decades ago. Further, heterogeneity in views on aging increased across two decades in the MIDUS but decreased in BASE. Also consistent across studies, associations of views on aging with sociodemographic, health, cognitive, and psychosocial correlates did not change across historical times. We discuss possible reasons for our findings, including the possibility that individual age views may have become increasingly decoupled from societal age views. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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- 2023
18. 50 Jahre 'Psychologie des Alterns': Abschied von Ursula Maria Lehr
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Hans-Werner Wahl and Georg Rudinger
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General Psychology - Published
- 2022
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19. Subjective views of aging in very old age: Predictors of 2-year change in gains and losses
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Roman Kaspar, Hans-Werner Wahl, Manfred Diehl, and Susanne Zank
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Aging ,Cognition ,Social Psychology ,Activities of Daily Living ,Humans ,Awareness ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Article ,Time - Abstract
This study examined trajectories of awareness of age-related change (AARC; DiehlWahl, 2010) across 2 years in a large representative sample of very old adults. We also examined the predictive role of health, functional status, cognitive functioning, and engagement with life for AARC change. The initial sample comprised 1,863 individuals aged 80 years or older. Of the 1,612 individuals recontacted 2 years later, 912 took part in the follow-up. Measures included the AARC-Short Form, assessing perceived AARC Gains and AARC Losses. Measures of multimorbidity and functional health, a cognitive screening test, and indicators of engagement with life (e.g., leisure activity) were examined as predictors of AARC change, using semi-cross-lagged fixed effects modeling. Higher overall levels of AARC Gains were observed compared to AARC Losses for all but respondents aged 90 years or older. Intra-individual levels of AARC Gains decreased significantly over the 2-year period, whereas a significant increase was found for AARC Losses. AARC Losses across time were predicted by loss of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) independence, but not by change in multimorbidity, cognitive performance, or engagement with life. One indicator of engagement with life, reduced leisure activity, predicted smaller AARC Gains at wave 2. These results were robust in models controlling for potential reverse causation. These findings suggest that a significant increase in perceived AARC Losses appears to be an inherent characteristic of very old age. Very old age may be a stage in life in which changes in multimorbidity and cognitive performance no longer impact individuals' views on aging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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- 2022
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20. Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected older adults’ personal and general views on aging? Evidence for losses and gains
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Hans-Werner Wahl, Markus Wettstein, Han-Yun Tseng, Anna Schlomann, Laura Schmidt, and Manfred Diehl
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Adult ,Aging ,Attitude ,Multilevel Analysis ,Developmental and Educational Psychology ,COVID-19 ,Humans ,Middle Aged ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Pandemics ,Article ,Aged ,Demography - Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic might have affected older adults' personal and general views on aging (VoA) because they were frequently, particularly during the early phase of the pandemic, portrayed as a homogeneous, vulnerable group in the media and in public debates. Also, their higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease progression as well as other pandemic-related stressors and restrictions might have impacted how older adults perceive their own aging. In this study, it was examined to which extent middle-aged and older adults' personal and general VoA changed due to the pandemic by distinguishing between normative age-graded change across multiple measurement occasions and potentially pandemic-specific history-graded change. Multiple VoA indicators (personal VoA: attitude toward own aging, subjective age, awareness of age-related change [gains and losses]; general VoA: domain-specific age stereotypes) of 423 German adults aged 40 years and older were assessed across three prepandemic measurement occasions (2012, 2015, and 2017) and one occasion after the pandemic's outbreak (summer 2020). Normative age-graded changes and pandemic-specific changes were estimated and compared using longitudinal multilevel regression analyses. Both perceived age-related gains and age-related losses decreased between 2012 and 2017, but increased thereafter between 2017 and 2020. Further, the overall change trend toward less positive attitude toward own aging slowed down from 2017 to 2020. There was also a slight trend toward younger subjective ages from 2017 to 2020. For most age stereotypes, pandemic-specific trends indicated a shift toward more negative stereotypes. These findings suggest that pandemic-specific changes in VoA are multidirectional, comprising perceptions of both losses and gains. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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- 2022
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21. Differences in awareness of positive and negative age-related changes accounting for variability in health outcomes
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Serena Sabatini, Obioha C. Ukoumunne, Allyson Brothers, Manfred Diehl, Hans-Werner Wahl, Clive Ballard, Rachel Collins, Anne Corbett, Helen Brooker, and Linda Clare
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Health (social science) ,Geriatrics and Gerontology - Abstract
Higher awareness of positive age-related changes (AARC gains) is related to better mental health, whereas higher awareness of negative age-related changes (AARC losses) is related to poorer mental and physical health. So far perceived gains and losses have been explored separately, but people report gains and losses concurrently in varying degrees, and different profiles of gains and losses may be differentially associated with health. We identified profiles of gains and losses and explored whether different profiles differed in physical, mental, and cognitive health. We used cross-sectional data from the PROTECT study (N = 6192; mean (SD) age = 66.1 (7.0)). Using latent profile analysis, a four-class solution showed the best model fit. We found that 45% of people perceived many gains and few losses (Class 1); 24% perceived moderate gains and few losses (Class 2); 24% perceived many gains and moderate losses (Class 3); 7% perceived many gains and many losses (Class 4). Analysis of variance and Chi-squared tests showed that Class 1 had relatively better physical, mental, and cognitive health, followed by Classes 2, 3, and 4. Experiencing one’s ageing to a high degree as gain may be related to better health only when individuals interpret ageing as involving low levels of loss across several life domains. Risk in terms of poorer health emerged in those who perceived high losses. Considering gains and losses in parallel, rather than separately, may lead to a more fine-tuned understanding of relations with health.
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- 2022
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22. Selbstberichtetes Hören und Bewusstsein alternsassoziierter Veränderungen
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Markus Wettstein, Anna Kornadt, Vera Heyl, and Hans-Werner Wahl
- Subjects
Issues, ethics and legal aspects ,Health (social science) ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Gerontology - Published
- 2023
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23. Kommerziell verfügbare digitale Technik im Alltag Älterer: ein Forschungsupdate
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Cornelia Kricheldorff, Claudia Müller, Helga Pelizäus, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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Issues, ethics and legal aspects ,Health (social science) ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Gerontology - Published
- 2022
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24. Experience of Time and Subjective Age When Facing a Limited Lifetime: The Case of Older Adults with Advanced Cancer
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Katsiaryna Laryionava, Anton Schönstein, Pia Heußner, Wolfgang Hiddemann, Eva C. Winkler, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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Community and Home Care ,Aging ,Neoplasms ,Emotions ,Quality of Life ,Humans ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Gerontology ,Aged - Abstract
Objectives We addressed two questions: (1) Does advanced cancer in later life affect a person’s awareness of time and their subjective age? (2) Are awareness of time and subjective age associated with distress, perceived quality of life, and depression? Methods We assessed patients suffering terminal cancer (OAC, n = 91) and older adults free of any life-threatening disease (OA, n = 89), all subjects being aged 50 years or older. Results Older adults with advanced cancer perceived time more strongly as being a finite resource and felt significantly older than OA controls. Feeling younger was meaningfully related with better quality of life and less distress. In the OA group, feeling younger was also associated to reduced depression. Perceiving time as a finite resource was related to higher quality of life in the OA group. Discussion Major indicators of an older person’s awareness of time and subjective aging differ between those being confronted with advanced cancer versus controls.
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- 2021
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25. Exploring biomarkers in routine diagnostics for the risk stratification of older patients in the Chest Pain Unit: a prospective cohort study
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Anna Lisa Kunz, Anton Schönstein, Philipp Bahrmann, Evangelos Giannitsis, Hans-Werner Wahl, Hugo A Katus, Norbert Frey, and Anke Bahrmann
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General Medicine - Abstract
ObjectivesThis study aims to estimate the association of the often, in daily clinical practice, used biological age-related biomarkers high-sensitivity troponin-T (hs-TnT), C reactive protein (CRP) and haemoglobin (Hb) with all-cause mortality for the purpose of older patient’s risk stratification in the emergency department (ED).DesignExploratory, prospective cohort study with a follow-up at 2.5 years after recruitment started. For the predictors, data from the hospital files including the routinely applied biological age-related biomarkers hs-TnT, CRP and Hb were supplemented by a questionnaire.SettingA cardiological ED, Chest Pain Unit, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.ParticipantsN=256 cardiological ED patients with a minimum age of 70 years and the capability to informed consent.Primary outcome measuresThe primary outcome of this study was all-cause mortality which was assessed by requesting registry office information.ResultsAmong N=256 patients 63 died over the follow-up period. Positive results in each of the three biomarkers alone as well as the combination were associated with increased all-cause mortality at follow-up. The number of positive age-related biomarkers appeared to be strongly indicative of the risk of mortality, even when controlled for major confounders (age, sex, body mass index, creatinine clearance and comorbidity).ConclusionsIn older ED patients, biomarkers explicitly related to biological ageing processes such as hs-TnT, CRP and Hb were to a certain degree independently of each other as well as combined associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Thus, they may have the potential to be used to supplement the general risk stratification of older patients in the ED. Validation of the results in a large dataset is needed.
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- 2022
26. Momentary subjective age is associated with perceived and physiological stress in the daily lives of old and very old adults
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Anna E. Kornadt, Theresa Pauly, Oliver K. Schilling, Ute Kunzmann, Martin Katzorreck, Anna J. Lücke, Christiane A. Hoppmann, Denis Gerstorf, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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Aged, 80 and over ,Aging ,Social Psychology ,Hydrocortisone ,Stress, Physiological ,Emotions ,Humans ,Self Report ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Stress, Psychological ,Aged - Abstract
Subjective age, that is the age people feel in relation to their chronological age, can vary on a day-to-day and even momentary basis. Previous long-term and daily-diary studies have shown that elevated stress covaries with older subjective age. However, it is an open question whether such links can also be observed at the momentary level within a given day and go beyond self-reports of stress. Moving ahead, we investigated how two indicators of stress (self-reported: perceived stress; physiological: salivary cortisol) are associated with the age people feel on a momentary basis. We examined data from 118 older (
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- 2022
27. The relevance of perceived work environment and work activities for personality trajectories in midlife
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Lena Stahlhofen, Johanna Hartung, Oliver Schilling, Hans‐Werner Wahl, and Gizem Hülür
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Social Psychology - Abstract
Work is an important developmental context in adulthood, yet little is known about how it contributes to personality trajectories in midlife. The present study examines how subjectively perceived work environment (autonomy, innovation, social integration, stress) and objectively measured work activities (activities related to information and people, physical/manual activities) are related to levels of Big Five personality traits at age 44 and to change over 20 years.We analyzed four-wave longitudinal data from N = 374 participants (born 1950-1952; MAt baseline, subjective perceptions of work environments showed a higher number of significant associations with personality than objective work activities. Over time, small declines in neuroticism and extraversion and small increases in agreeableness and conscientiousness were observed, which were largely independent of work characteristics.Our findings show slight changes in most Big Five traits from age 44 to 64, which were mostly unrelated to work characteristics. More research is needed to uncover the sources and dynamics of personality trait change in midlife and the role of work for personality trajectories.
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- 2022
28. [Commercially available digital technology in the daily routine of the aged: a research update]
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Cornelia, Kricheldorff, Claudia, Müller, Helga, Pelizäus, and Hans-Werner, Wahl
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Digital Technology ,Humans - Published
- 2022
29. Effects of age simulation suits on psychological and physical outcomes: a systematic review
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Thomas H. Gerhardy, Anna Schlomann, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Laura I. Schmidt
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Health (social science) ,Geriatrics and Gerontology - Abstract
Age simulation suits (ASS) are widely used to simulate sensory and physical restrictions that typically occur as people age. This review has two objectives: first, we synthesize the current research on ASS in terms of the observed psychological and physical effects associated with ASS. Second, we analyze indicators able to estimate the validity of ASS in simulating “true” ageing processes. Following the PRISMA guidelines, eight electronic databases were searched (BASE, Cinhal, Cochrane, Google Scholar, ProQuest, PsychINFO, Pubmed, and Web of Science). Qualitative and quantitative studies addressing effects of ASS interventions regarding psychological outcomes (i.e., empathy, attitudes) or physical parameters (i.e., gait, balance) were included. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was applied for quality assessment. Of 1890 identified citations, we included 94 for full-text screening and finally 26 studies were examined. Publication years ranged from 2001 to 2021. Study populations were predominantly based on students in health-related disciplines. Results suggest that ASS can initiate positive effects on attitudes toward (dweighted = 0.33) and empathy for older adults (dweighted = 0.54). Physical performance was significantly reduced; however, there is only little evidence of a realistic simulation of typical ageing processes. Although positive effects of ASS are supported to some extent, more diverse study populations and high-quality controlled designs are needed. Further, validation studies examining whether the simulation indeed reflects “real” ageing are needed and should build on reference data generated by standardized geriatric assessments or adequate comparison groups of older adults.Prospero registration: 232686.
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- 2022
30. Younger Than Ever? Subjective Age Is Becoming Younger and Remains More Stable in Middle-Age and Older Adults Today
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Markus Wettstein, Hans-Werner Wahl, Johanna Drewelies, Susanne Wurm, Oliver Huxhold, Nilam Ram, and Denis Gerstorf
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midlife ,subjective age bias ,ddc:150 ,150 Psychologie ,birth cohort ,General Psychology ,subjective age ,old age - Abstract
Little is known about historical shifts in subjective age (i.e., how old individuals feel). Moving beyond the very few time-lagged cross-sectional cohort comparisons, we examined historical shifts in within-person trajectories of subjective age from midlife to advanced old age. We used cohort-comparative longitudinal data from middle-age and older adults in the German Ageing Survey (N = 14,928; ~50% female) who lived in Germany and were between 40 and 85 years old when entering the study. They provided up to seven observations over 24 years. Results revealed that being born later in historical time is associated with feeling younger by 2% every birth-year decade and with less intraindividual change toward an older subjective age. Women reported feeling younger than men; this gender gap widened across cohorts. The association of higher education with younger subjective age became weaker across cohorts. Potential reasons for the subjective-rejuvenation effect across cohorts are discussed. Bundesministerin für Frauen, Familien und Jugend https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011090
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- 2023
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31. LIFETIME CLOSE TO THE END: EFFECTS ON PERCEIVED TIME AND AGING IN OLDER ADULTS WITH ADVANCED CANCER
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Hans-Werner Wahl, Katsiaryna Laryionava, Anton Schönstein, Pia Heussner, Wolfgang Hiddemann, and Eva Winkler
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Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
This study addressed two questions: (1) Does advanced cancer in later life affect a person’s awareness of time and their subjective age? (2) Are awareness of time and subjective age associated with distress, perceived quality of life, and depression? We assessed patients with terminal cancer (OAC, n = 91) and older adults with no life-threatening disease (OA, n = 89). All participants were age 50 or older. OAC perceived time as being a more finite resource and felt significantly older than OA controls. Feeling younger was significantly related with better quality of life and lower levels of distress. In the OA group, feeling younger was also associated with reduced depression. Perceiving time as a finite resource was related to higher quality of life in the OA group. Indicators of an older person’s awareness of time and subjective aging differ between those with advanced cancer versus controls without a terminal disease.
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- 2022
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32. FEELING YOUNG TODAY, FEELING GOOD TOMORROW? MICROLONGITUDINAL DYNAMICS IN SUBJECTIVE AGE
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Fiona Rupprecht, Laura Schmidt, Monika Sieverding, Jana Nikitin, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
Insights into the short-term dynamics and micro-longitudinal consequences of subjective age can drive our understanding of its long-term mechanisms across adulthood. Using data from 80 newly retired individuals (aged 59 to 76 years; 59% women) collected on 21 days, we made use of a recent methodological advance—multilevel dynamic structural equation modeling. As possible same-day correlates and micro-longitudinal consequences of subjective age, we investigated physical activity, step number, sleep quality, affect, and stress, which were either assessed via wearables (FitBit Charge HR) or daily diaries. Analyses suggest a weak autoregression of subjective age, indicating that how old one feels is determined via daily rather than lasting experiences. Indeed, there were significant same-day relations to all suggested correlates. The one effect lasting across several days was from an older subjective age on subsequent negative affect—a potential short-term mechanism contributing to the detrimental long-term influence of an older subjective age.
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- 2022
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33. Using wearables to promote physical activity in old age : Feasibility, benefits, and user friendliness
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Laura I. Schmidt, Carl-Philipp Jansen, Johanna Depenbusch, Martina Gabrian, Monika Sieverding, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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Male ,Issues, ethics and legal aspects ,Health (social science) ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Feasibility Studies ,Humans ,Female ,Fitness Trackers ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Gerontology ,Exercise ,Aged ,Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic - Abstract
Wearables provide new opportunities to promote physical activity also among older adults but data on effectiveness and user friendliness are rare.The effects of a comprehensive self-regulative intervention on moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and number of steps were examined using commercially available activity trackers. Acceptance regarding the devices was analysed in various domains.In this study 80 older adults (mean = 67.03 years, standard deviation = 3.97 years; 59% women) wore a Fitbit Charge HR for 21 days including a baseline, a postintervention and a follow-up week. The intervention comprised feedback, goal setting and planning and 50% of the participants were additionally randomized to a role model component. Social cognitive predictors based on the health action process approach (HAPA) and user experience were assessed via questionnaires.The MVPA increased by an average of 19 min per week and steps by 1317 per day. An additional benefit of the role model component could be observed for MVPA. In the follow-up, the intervention effect was still significant for the number of steps, while MVPA dropped back to baseline. Multilevel models including HAPA variables explained small but significant amounts of variance in MVPA (8% within-person, 26% between-person) and steps (11% within-person, 12% between-person). User experience was rated as very high.Providing an intervention based on established behavior change techniques and self-monitoring via wearables seems to be effective for increasing physical activity among older adults. The HAPA variables seem to play a limited role to explain activity levels. Acceptance of wearables can be expected to be high.HINTERGRUND: Wearables bieten Potenziale zur Förderung körperlicher Aktivität bei Älteren, jedoch sind Studien, die Effektivität und Nutzerfreundlichkeit gemeinsam betrachten, begrenzt.Es werden Effekte einer umfangreichen selbstregulativen Intervention zur Förderung körperlicher Aktivität auf Basis kommerzieller Aktivitätstracker sowie deren Akzeptanz und Bewertung untersucht.In dieser Studie trugen 80 Personen (M = 67,03; SD = 3,97; 59 % Frauen) ein Fitbit Charge HR für insgesamt 21 Tage, einschließlich einer Baseline, einer Post-Interventions- und einer Follow-up-Woche. Die Intervention umfasste Bausteine wie Zielsetzung und Planung, zusätzlich wurden 50 % randomisiert einer Rollenmodell-Komponente zugeordnet. Sozial-kognitive Prädiktoren nach dem Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) und Bewertung der Wearables wurden über Fragebögen erfasst.Moderat bis intensive körperliche Aktivität (MVPA) erhöhte sich nach der Intervention um 19 min/Woche und die Schrittzahl um 1317 pro Tag. Ein Zusatznutzen des Rollenmodell-Ansatzes zeigte sich für MVPA. Im Follow-up blieb der positive Effekt für die Schrittzahl signifikant, während MVPA auf das Baseline-Niveau zurückfiel. Multilevel-Modelle inklusive der HAPA-Variablen („health action process approach“) erklärten kleine aber signifikante Varianzanteile (MVPA: 8 % „within-person“, 26 % „between-person“; Schritte: 11 % „within-person“, 12 % „between-person“). Die Bewertungen (z. B. Nutzerfreundlichkeit) fielen sehr positiv aus.Die Intervention auf Basis etablierter Behavior Change Techniken und Self-Monitoring durch Wearables konnte die körperliche Aktivität steigern, wobei Assoziationen zu HAPA-Variablen teilweise bestätigt wurden. Die Akzeptanz und Bewertung der Wearables kann als sehr gut eingestuft werden.
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- 2022
34. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trajectories of Well-Being of Middle-Aged and older Adults: A Multidimensional and Multidirectional Perspective
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Markus Wettstein, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Anna Schlomann
- Subjects
Social Sciences (miscellaneous) - Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in profound changes of individuals’ everyday lives. Restrictions in social contacts and in leisure activities and the threatening situation of a spreading virus might have resulted in compromised well-being. At the same time, the pandemic could have promoted specific aspects of psychosocial well-being, e.g., due to intensified relationships with close persons during lockdown periods. We investigated this potentially multidimensional and multi-directional pattern of pandemic-specific change in well-being by analyzing changes over up to 8 years (2012-2020) in two broad well-being domains, hedonic well-being (life satisfaction) and eudaimonic well-being (one overarching eudaimonic well-being indicator as well as environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, and self-acceptance), among 423 adults who were aged 40-98 years in 2012. By modelling longitudinal multilevel regression models and allowing for a measurement-specific intra-individual deviation component from the general slope in 2020, i.e. after the pandemic outbreak, we analyzed potential normative history-graded changes due to the pandemic. All mean-level history-graded changes were nonsignificant, but most revealed substantial interindividual variability, indicating that individuals’ pandemic-related well-being changes were remarkably heterogeneous. Only for personal growth and self-acceptance, adding a pandemic-related change component (and interindividual variability thereof) did not result in a better model fit. Individuals with poorer self-rated health at baseline in 2012 revealed a pandemic-related change toward lower life satisfaction. Our findings suggest that not all well-being domains - and not all individuals - are equally prone to “COVID-19 effects”, and even pandemic-associated gains were observed for some individuals in certain well-being domains.
- Published
- 2022
35. Contextual determinants of subjective age in midlife and old age: The example of daily variations in COVID-19 infection rates
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Markus Wettstein and Hans-Werner Wahl
- Subjects
Aged, 80 and over ,Aging ,Social Psychology ,Adaptation, Psychological ,Emotions ,COVID-19 ,Humans ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Pandemics ,Aged - Abstract
Feeling younger than one's age reflects a process of age-group dissociation that is frequently activated when belonging to one's age group has negative connotations. Regarding the Corona pandemic, time periods with a higher number of individuals infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) might have elicited younger subjective ages, particularly among older adults as they belonged to a "COVID-19 risk group." We investigated the subjective age of
- Published
- 2022
36. Experimental Studies on Subjective Views of Aging: Overview, Challenges, and Future Directions
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null Hans-Werner-Wahl and Anna E. Kornadt
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- 2022
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37. Successful Ageing:Ambition and Ambivalence
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Clemens Tesch-Römer, Suresh I. S. Rattan, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Liat Ayalon
- Subjects
Successful aging ,Aesthetics ,Psychology ,Ambivalence - Abstract
Biological ageing is a progressive decline in physiological functionality, and an increase in the chances of chronic diseases and death. Ageing of the body sets in and happens progressively, exponentially and intrinsically in the period beyond the naturally evolved essential lifespan of a species. Ageing science has searched for the factors securing longevity in good health. An end to this quest is not foreseeable. For a large number, frailty and cognitive impairment is the reality of ageing, and it is by no means certain if health promotion, prevention, and other interventions will reduce the probability of its occurrence. A narrow understanding of ‘successful ageing’ as good health, full functioning, and active participation in society excludes a large portion of ageing individuals from the quest for a good life in old age. Hence, the term is highly ambivalent. On the one hand, it counteracts the deficit view of ageing and facilitates visionary thinking on what might be possible in the future. On the other hand, its ageist and derogative features have negative consequences. Striving for a good life in old age should be inclusive, acknowledging different forms and pathways of ageing. Conceptions of life worth living up to very old age can vary widely, and may include good health and functioning, and also life satisfaction, wisdom, supporting environments, and good care. The discussion on successful ageing needs a multifaceted and pluralistic spirit of discourse, which aims to integrate different models of life-course development into a new narrative of successful ageing.
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- 2022
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38. Subjective Views of Aging and Objective Aging Biomarkers: Achievements and Questions in an Emerging Research Area
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Anton Schönstein, Kira Trares, and Hans-Werner Wahl
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- 2022
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39. Healthy Aging: Current and Future Frameworks and Developments
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Nancy A. Pachana and Hans-Werner Wahl
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- 2022
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40. Towards a more functional gait analysis: using dual tasks and turning to unveil hidden problems
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Thomas H. Gerhardy, Laura I. Schmidt, Hans-Werner Wahl, Simon Steib, and Lizeth H. Sloot
- Subjects
Rehabilitation ,Biophysics ,Orthopedics and Sports Medicine - Published
- 2023
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41. Emotional reactivity to daily stressors: Does stressor pile-up within a day matter for young-old and very old adults?
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Oliver K. Schilling, Denis Gerstorf, Anna J. Lücke, Martin Katzorreck, Hans-Werner Wahl, Manfred Diehl, and Ute Kunzmann
- Subjects
Male ,Aging ,Social Psychology ,Emotions ,Individuality ,Humans ,Female ,Longitudinal Studies ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Stress, Psychological ,Article - Abstract
Over the past decade, many studies have reported individual differences in negative emotional reactions to daily stressful events. However, whether and how individual and age-related differences in emotional reactivity also depend on the temporal characteristics of stressors has received little attention. In this project, we focused on the temporal characteristics of stressor occurrence and examined the pile-up of stressors within a day-referring to multiple stressors encountered within a relatively narrow time window. To do so, we used data from 123 young-old (66-69 years, 47% women) and 47 very old adults (84-90 years, 60% women). Participants reported their momentary feelings and exposure to stressors six times a day over 7 consecutive days in their everyday life. Emotional reactivity to stressor pile-up over the day followed an exponential decay trajectory, with higher stressor burden in close proximity to the stressor occurrence. The exact shape of the decay trajectory differed among participants. Most importantly, both stressor pile-up and ongoing stress predicted greater emotional reactivity. We also found interaction effects of stressor pile-up and current stressor occurrence in that increases in negative affect under ongoing stress were stronger when stressors had piled-up before. No evidence was found for increased vulnerability to stressor pile-up in very old adults; rather, the impact of preceding stressors attenuated faster for individuals in this age group. The findings highlight the utility of comprehensively studying how stressor characteristics such as their pile-up within short time periods shape emotional reactivity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
- Published
- 2021
42. Identifying predictors of self-perceptions of aging based on a range of cognitive, physical, and mental health indicators: Twenty-year longitudinal findings from the ILSE study
- Author
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Serena Sabatini, Jelena Sophie Siebert, Manfred Diehl, Allyson Brothers, and Hans-Werner Wahl
- Subjects
Aged, 80 and over ,Aging ,Cognition ,Mental Health ,Social Psychology ,Humans ,Longitudinal Studies ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,Self Concept ,Aged - Abstract
Research exploring whether health predicts self-perceptions of aging (SPA) has mostly focused on single predictors and has been hampered by short observational intervals. We examined whether 20-year changes in cognitive functioning, physical and mental health predict SPA. We used data of 103 German participants who remained of a sample of 500 participants born in 1930-1932 enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Longitudinal Study of Adult Development (ILSE) in 1993/1996 (mean age at fourth measurement wave = 82.5 years). Health indicators included six cognitive tests, objective and subjective physical health, and self-reported depression. We used a new and multidimensional (awareness of age-related gains and losses) and a well-established (attitudes toward own aging) measure of SPA. Linear regression analyses showed that, among the cognitive tests, decline in information processing speed (Digit Symbol) predicted less awareness of age-related gains and more awareness of age-related losses but not attitudes toward own aging. Decline in subjective but not objective physical health, predicted more awareness of age-related losses and negative attitudes toward own aging, but not awareness of age-related gains. Increase in depressive symptoms predicted more awareness of age-related losses and negative attitudes toward own aging, but not awareness of age-related gains. The size of associations suggests that objective cognitive decline has limited influence on older adults' SPA and, if so, only when the decline is related to mental slowing. Similarly, perceived physical and mental health, but not objective health, have a small-to-moderate influence on awareness of age-related losses and attitudes toward own aging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
- Published
- 2021
43. UNDERSTANDING MOBILITY, HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING OF OLDER ADULTS USING SENSING TECHNOLOGIES
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Christina Röcke, Minxia Luo, and Hans-Werner Wahl
- Subjects
Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
Mobility has been identified as one important ingredient to older adults’ health and well-being and is considered a high priority in the global agenda of healthy and active aging. However, mobility is still a relatively understudied concept in aging research. This symposium, including three empirical studies and one concept paper, presents how different sensing technologies can be utilized to examine mobility, health and well-being in older adults. Using infrared motion sensors and contact sensors, Wu and colleagues examine indoor mobility and show its associations with physical, cognitive, and mental health in community-dwelling older adults living alone. Luo and colleagues use a custom-built mobile GPS sensor and a smartphone-based ambulatory assessment to examine daily mobility and well-being in community-dwelling older adults. They find that a day with larger life space area, more time spent in passive transport modes, and higher number of different locations is associated with higher daily life satisfaction. Similarly, using a GPS sensor combined with a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, Kamalyan and colleagues examine life-space mobility, social interactions, and well-being in older adults with and without HIV. They show that prior day’s at-home time is negatively associated with current day’s happiness and that prior day’s social interactions diminishes this association. Jansen presents a project combining sensor-based movement data, GPS-based geolocation data, and experience sampling to investigate relations between life-space mobility and social participation and the role of cultural and climatic differences across several European countries. Hans-Werner Wahl will discuss all papers from an ecological and contextualized aging perspective.
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- 2022
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44. THE EFFECT OF SUBJECTIVE AGING ON HEALTH AND SURVIVAL: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF LONGITUDINAL DATA
- Author
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Gerben Westerhof, Abigail Nehrkorn-Bailey, Allyson Brothers, Jelena Siebert, Han-Yun (Heidi) Tseng, Manfred Diehl, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Susanne Wurm
- Subjects
Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
Longitudinal effects of subjective age on adult health and survival are well-documented (Westerhof et al., 2014). This systematic review provides an updated and expanded evaluation of the state of the field. A systematic search in PsycInfo, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed resulted in 103 articles: 19 articles from the 2014 meta-analysis and 84 newer articles. Sixty-five articles focused on physical health (e.g., subjective health, objective health, and health behaviors), 41 studied mental health outcomes (e.g., mental health disorders, well-being, and quality of life), and 18 articles used mortality as the outcome. Important developments during the past years include new instruments, particularly multidimensional assessment of subjective aging, and a more fine-grained representation of health outcomes, including bio indicators. A major outcome is that most studies confirmed the longitudinal effects of subjective aging on health as reported previously, but on a much broader study portfolio.
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- 2022
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45. No Historical Change in Views on Aging and Their Correlates: Emerging Evidence From Germany and the United States
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Hans-Werner Wahl, Johanna Drewelies, Sandra Duezel, Margie Lachman, Jacqui Smith, Nilam Ram, Ulman Lindenberger, and Denis Gerstorf
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Abstracts ,Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Session 3085 (Symposium) ,AcademicSubjects/SOC02600 ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
To examine historical changes in views on aging, we compared matched cohorts of older adults within two independent studies that assessed differences across a two-decade interval, the Berlin Aging Studies (BASE, 1990/93 vs. 2017/18, each n = 256, Mage = 77) and the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS, 1995/96 vs. 2013/14, each n = 848, Mage = 67). Consistent across four different dimensions of individuals’ subjective views on aging (age felt, age appeared, desired age, attitudes towards own aging) in the Berlin Aging Studies and corroborated with subjective age felt in the MIDUS, there was no evidence whatsoever that older adults of today have more favorable views on how they age than older adults did two decades ago. We discuss reasons for our findings, including the possibility that individual age views may have become increasingly decoupled from societal age views.
- Published
- 2021
46. New Developments in Views on Aging Research: Variability, Innovative Concepts, and Contextual Perspectives
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Anna Kornadt, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Susanne Wurm
- Subjects
Abstracts ,Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Session 3085 (Symposium) ,AcademicSubjects/SOC02600 ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
Views on aging (VoA) such as attitudes toward own aging, awareness of aging or subjective age, have a large impact on outcomes related to positive development in later life. Recent research in this domain has focused on complex research designs and inter-systemic linkages at different levels. Indicators of short-term variability of VoA have increasingly been investigated, linking the respective findings with performance indicators, biomarkers, and trait-like data. In addition, bidirectional relationships of VoA and outcomes over time as well as data contextualizing VoA across historical time may offer new insights on the plasticity of VoA seen in bio-cultural co-construction. The symposium will showcase these recent trends with studies from the U.S. and Germany. First, Zhu and Neupert extend previous studies by linking established VoA indicators with future time perspective, all assessed by means of a daily diary study with 60-90 year-old adults. Kornadt et al. examined the variability of subjective age within a day and the relationship with trait subjective age and cortisol levels. Mejia et al. extend VoA to the area of subjective awareness of fall risks in daily life and links them with physical performance. Wettstein et al. investigate the bidirectional relationship of VoA indicators and perceived stress over time. Finally, we move from the micro to a macro-micro design in Wahl et al.’s presentation addressing historical change in VoA across 20 years in the Berlin Aging Study and in MIDUS. Susanne Wurm will discuss how different levels of VoA analysis will find better interlinkage in the future.
- Published
- 2021
47. Long-Term Cognitive Aging Trajectories as Predictors of Daily Affect
- Author
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Denis Gerstorf, Oliver Schilling, Ute Kunzmann, Martin Katzorreck, Anna Lücke, Hans-Werner Wahl, and Nilam Ram
- Subjects
Health (social science) ,Life-span and Life-course Studies ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) - Abstract
Multiple-time scale studies provide new opportunities to examine how developmental processes evolving on different cadences are intertwined. Theories about age-related accumulation of stress suggest that long-term progressive loss of cognitive resources should manifest in and shape short-term daily affective experiences. Applying growth modeling and intraindividual variability methods to data obtained from 123 young-old (65-69 years, 51% women) and 47 very-old adults (85-88 years, 49% women) who provided 20+ year longitudinal data on Digit Symbol performance and 42-occasion momentary data about the emotions and stressors they experienced during everyday life (6 reports per day), we found that shallower long-term loss of cognitive performance was associated with less fluctuation in momentary positive affect, as well as less “spikiness” of and reactivity to stress. We discuss and present further results highlighting how mid-term processes surrounding age, gender roles, and health additionally contribute to and shape links between long-term and short-term dynamics of aging.
- Published
- 2021
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