Body image and hopelessness in older adults: The intervening roles of aging self-stereotypes and marital status.

The aim of the current study was to examine the association between body image and hopelessness as well as the roles of aging self-stereotypes and marital status in this association in older adults. There were 821 older adults who participated in the present study and completed questionaries about body image, aging self-stereotypes, hopelessness, demographic information (age and sex), marital status, and health status. The results showed that body image was associated with hopelessness in older adults, and aging self-stereotypes mediated the link between body image and hopelessness. Moderated analyses further indicated that the path from body image to aging self-stereotypes was stronger for single older adults than for those who were married. The results emphasize that older adults' dissatisfaction with their body image can enhance negative aging self-stereotypes, which then result in more severe hopelessness. Marital relationships can alleviate the negative effect of body image on aging self-stereotypes in older adults.
(© 2023 Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)