Which Subjective Age is the Strongest Predictor of Quality of Life?

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate which dimensions of subjective age ( feel age, look age, do age, interest age ) are the strongest predictors of quality of life, focusing specifically on physical and mental health and life satisfaction among young and middle-aged adults. A total of 259 adults aged 18–58 (M age = 26.86, SD = 8.50) participated in the study via an online survey following ethical approval from a Turkish university. Participants completed measures of subjective age, life satisfaction, and health-related quality of life (SF-12), along with demographic information. Correlation analyses and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 25. Correlational findings showed significant associations between all subjective age dimensions and quality-of-life indicators. However, regression analyses revealed that only feel age significantly predicted mental health (β = .156, p = .026) and life satisfaction (β = .182, p = .006), after controlling for chronological age and subjective health. None of the subjective age dimensions significantly predicted physical health once subjective health was accounted for. Subjective health emerged as the strongest predictor of both physical and mental health outcomes. The results emphasize the unique role of feel age as a psychologically meaningful aspect of subjective aging, especially in relation to mental health and quality of life. While other subjective age dimensions showed bivariate associations, only feel age demonstrated independent predictive power. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of subjective aging in early to mid-adulthood, highlighting its relevance beyond older adult populations. The study also underscores the importance of considering subjective health as a core variable in well-being research.

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