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Changes in Subjective Age During COVID-19.
Terracciano, Antonio; Stephan, Yannick; Aschwanden, Damaris; Lee, Ji Hyun; Sesker, Amanda A; Strickhouser, Jason E; Luchetti, Martina; Sutin, Angelina R.
  • Terracciano A; Department of Geriatrics, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
  • Stephan Y; Euromov, University of Montpellier, France.
  • Aschwanden D; Department of Geriatrics, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
  • Lee JH; Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
  • Sesker AA; Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
  • Strickhouser JE; Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
  • Luchetti M; Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
  • Sutin AR; Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee.
Gerontologist ; 61(1): 13-22, 2021 01 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-696803
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES:

To examine the change in subjective age with the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Two competing hypotheses were tested (a) people felt increasingly older due to the stress generated by the pandemic and (b) people felt increasingly younger due to psychological distancing from older age, a vulnerability to COVID-19. RESEARCH DESIGN AND

METHODS:

An age- and sex-stratified sample of adults from across the United States (baseline N = 3,738) was assessed on 3 occasions before the COVID-19 outbreak in late January/early February and during the outbreak in late March and again in late April. Multilevel modeling analysis examined the change in subjective age and tested potential moderators of individual differences in the trajectory of subjective age.

RESULTS:

The average trajectory of subjective age followed a concave curve, with a nadir (feeling younger) during the second assessment in late March. Older age, negative expectations about aging, absence of preexisting conditions, and less stress during COVID-19 were associated with feeling younger but did not predict the rate of change. The only significant predictor of change in subjective age was the belief that the "coronavirus is only a threat to older adults" The more individuals agreed with this statement, the more likely it was that they felt increasingly younger at follow-up. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS Subjective age changed during a global health crisis, with people feeling younger with the emergence of COVID-19. The findings support the hypothesis that subjective age partly reflects a coping process of psychological distancing from older age, the age group most vulnerable to COVID-19.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Coronavirus Infections / COVID-19 Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Aged / Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: Gerontologist Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Coronavirus Infections / COVID-19 Type of study: Cohort study / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Aged / Humans Country/Region as subject: North America Language: English Journal: Gerontologist Year: 2021 Document Type: Article