Life Satisfaction and Intellectual Functioning: Continuity between Young-Old, Old-Old, and Very-Old Age.

Abstract

While research has examined both life satisfaction and intellectual functioning of older adults, the relationship between these two dimensions has been investigated very little. A study was conducted to explore continuity in intellectual functioning over time in advanced old age, continuity in life satisfaction during the same period, the relationship between these two constructs, and how they are affected by whether the subjects are young-old, old-old, or very-old. Subjects were from the Berkeley Older Generation Study and were the parents of the 1928-1929 Guidance Study and Berkeley Growth Study children. In 1968-1969 and again in 1982-1983, subjects completed: (1) the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; (2) a life satisfaction measure rating zest versus apathy, resolution and fortitude, congruence of goals, self-concept, and mood tone; and (3) five measures of intellectual functioning (intelligence, mental alertness, speed of mental processes, accuracy in thinking, and use of language). At the last follow-up, 61 subjects were aged 75-84 (old-old) and 29 subjects were aged 85-93 (very-old). /te results revealed important changes in intellectual functioning and continuity in life satisfaction in advanced old age. Declines were found for most of the oldest people, yet individual differences were apparent in both the old-old and the very-old groups. No predictive relationship between life satisfaction and intelligence over time was found. Future research will examine possible sex differences, the influence of the constructs of such variables as health, and the possibility of non-linearity over time. (NH) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) liertis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organitst.on originating et C Men Or changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points ol view or opinions staled in this dOCu merit do not necessarily represent official OEM position or policy Life Satisfaction and Intellectual Functioning: Continuity Between Young-Old, Old-Old, and Very-Old Age Dorothy Field and K. Warner Schaie The Pennsylvania State University PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE 'HIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC). This paper examines continuity in intellectual functioning over time in advanced old age, continuity in life satisfaction during the same period, the relationship between these two constructs, and how these are affected by whether the elderly people are young-old, old-old, or very-old. Longitudinal studies of cognitive functioning have demonstrated that little normative behavior change occurs until the 60s; after that age substantial decrement occurs for many, but not all, individuals (S-haie, 1979, 1983). Selective attrition in longitudinal studies is commonly found to yield a sample scoring high in IQ (Baltes, Schaie, & Nardi, 1971); yet It has been found (Gribbin & Schaie, 1978; Siegler & Botwinick, 1979) that after adjustments caused by early attrition have occurred, little decline in IQ appears in further years of testing. Other longitudinal studies have found no decline in test scores into young-old age, up to about age 75 (Jarvik & Bank, 1983; Owens, 1966; Rudinger, 1976; Schaie, 1979). In oldold age, however, intellectual decline is found for many, as a larger proportion of the subjects approach the period of terminal drop (Riegel & Riegel, 1972). Nevertheless, the initially more able are likely to show a slower rate of decline (Blum & Jarvik, 1974; Schaie, 1979). Longitudinal studies that have examined individual differences (Schaie, 1983) show Paper presented at the meetings of the American Psychological Association, Los Angeles, August, 1985. This research is supported by a grant from the National Institute t-n Aging,

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