"The paradox of well-being" and "the crisis" in middle and late adulthood: Examination from the relationship between aging and self-evaluation

Abstract

The present study focused attention on "the paradox of well-being" and "the crisis" of aging discussed in the previous studies, and examined the developmental characteristics of middle and late adulthood regarding the relationship between subjective experiences of aging and domain-specific self-evaluation. A questionnaire survey was conducted to 2,026 thirty through 75-year-old participants. Within a cross-sectional model, "the paradox of well-being" was verified. It was suggested that aging is a pivotal component of well-being for the middle-aged and elderly. "Leeway and maturation," a positive aspect of subjective aging experience, showed positive and far-reaching impacts on self-evaluation. Its function to limit and minimize the negative effect caused by decline was also suggested. The crisis, for men, found in early and post middle-age, was explained as the accumulation of negative effect of aging, mainly relating to the socioeconomic changes. For women, the crisis was inferred to be elicited as a negative impact of aging that spilled over to most facets of self throughout middle and late adulthood.

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