Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aging and Life Satisfaction

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper was intended to examine how major life events – suchas retirement, deterioration of health, and loss of spouse –experienced in the aging process may affect the elderly's lifesatisfaction. An explanation was also proposed to the change inthe effects of age groups on life satisfaction because of thecontrol of the aging effect. A simple form of a longitudinalsurvey conducted in Taiwan in 1989 and 1993 was used for theempirical test. It was found that life satisfaction among theelderly decreased as age increased beyond 65 years of age. Itwas also found that social demographic variables, an incomedecrease, living arrangement, and level of activity participationhave a profound impact on life satisfaction of Taiwan's elderly. When the correlates were controlled, the coefficients for agegroups greater than 70 turned positive. This change could beexplained by two types of cohort experience: (1) from rough toprosperous life experience and (2) cohort norm on lifeexpectancy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Adams, D.: 1969, ‘Analysis of a life satisfaction index’ Journal of Gerontology 24, pp. 470–474.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atchley, Robert C.: 1971, ‘Retirement and leisure participation: Continuity or crisis?’ The Gerontologist 11(1, part 1), pp. 13–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atchley, Robert C.: 1987, Aging, Continuity, and Change (Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont, CA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Barclay, G.W.: 1954, Colonial Development and Population in Taiwan (Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradburn, N.: 1969, The Structure of Psychological Well-Being (Aldine, Chicago).

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A.: 1981, The Sense of Well-Being in America (New York: McGraw-Hill).

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, A., P. Converse and W. Rodgers: 1976, The Quality of American Life (Russell Sage Foundation, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • CEPD: 1991, Population Projection for Taiwan, 1990–2036. Council for Economic Planning and Development, Executive Yuan (Republic of China).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. N.: 1996, ‘Living arrangements and economic support for the elderly in Taiwan’ Journal of population Studies 17, pp. 59–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C. N. and H. S. Lin: 1996, ‘Life satisfaction and participation of social organizations among the elderly in Taiwan’ Proceeding of Conference on Demography, Family, and Life Quality. Chinese Population Association, March 4–5, Taipei. (In Chinese)

  • Chen, C. N.: 1999, ‘Change of living arrangements and its consequences among the elderly in Taiwan’ Proceedings of the National Science Council, Republic of China, Part C: Humanities and Social Sciences 9(2), pp. 364–375.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cumming, E. and W. Henry: 1960, Growing Old (Basic Books, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cutler, S. J.: 1979, ‘Age variations in the dimensionality of life satisfaction’ Journal of Gerontology 34, pp. 573–578.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolyer, D. and M. J. Forehand: 1984, ‘Life satisfaction and old age’ Research On Aging 6, pp. 432–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elwell, F. and A. D. Maltbie-Crannell: 1981, ‘The impact of role loss upon coping resources and life satisfaction of the elderly’ Journal of Gerontology 36, pp. 223–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, L. K., M. O. Okun and R. Landerman: 1985, ‘Age as a moderator of the determinants of life satisfaction’ Research On Aging 7, pp. 209–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havighurst, R. J.: 1961, ‘Successful aging’ Gerontologist 1, pp. 8–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havighurst, R. and R. Albrecht: 1953, Older People (Longmans/Green, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Herzog, A. R. and W. Z. Rodgers: 1981, ‘The structure of subjective well-being in different age groups’ Journal of Gerontology 36, pp. 472–479.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoyt, D. R. and T. C. Creech: 1983, ‘The life satisfaction index:A methodological and theoretical critique’ Journal of Gerontology 38, pp. 111–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janson, P. and K. F. Mueller: 1983, ‘Age, ethnicity and well-being: A comparative study of Anglus, Blacks and Mexican Americans’ Research on Aging 5, pp. 353–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kivett, V.: 1976, The Aged in North Carolina: Physical, Social and Environmental Characteristics and Sources of Assistance. (North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Tech. Bul. No. 237).

  • Kutner, B., D. Fanshel, A. Togo and T. Langer: 1956, Five Hundred over Sixty (Russell Sage Foundation, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson, R.: 1978, ‘Thirty years of research on the subjective well-being of older Americans’ Journal of Gerontology 33, pp. 109–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawton, M.: 1972, ‘The dimensions of morale’ in D. Kent (ed.), Research Planning and Action for the Elderly (Behavioral Publications, New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Liang, J., L. Dvorkin, E. Kahana and F. Mazian: 1980, ‘Social integration and morale: A re-examination’ Journal of Gerontology 35, pp. 746–757.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopata, H. Z.: 1973,Widowhood in An American City (Schenkman, Cambridge, MA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry, J. H.: 1984, ‘Life satisfaction time components among the elderly’ Research on Aging 6, pp. 417–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • McClelland, K. A.: 1982, ‘Self-conception and life satisfaction: Integrating and subculture and activity theory’ Journal of Gerontology 37, pp. 723–732.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, S. J.: 1965, ‘The social dilemma of the aging leisure participant’ in Arnold M. Rose and Warren A. Peterson (eds.), Older People and Their Social World (Davis, Philadelphia), pp. 77–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • MOI: 1999, Report on Life Status of Citizen in Taiwan Area, Republic of China.

  • Statistics Department, Ministry of Interior, R.O.C. (In Chinese)

  • Mutchler, J. and J. Burr: 1991, ‘A longitudinal analysis of household and nonhousehold living arrangements in later life’ Demogrophy 28(3), pp. 375–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mutran, E. and D. C. Reitzes: 1981, ‘Retirement, identity and well-being: Realignment of role relationships’ Journal of Gerontology 36, pp. 741–749.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neugarten, B., R. Havighurst and S. Tobin: 1961, ‘The measurement of life satisfaction’ Journal of Gerontology 16, pp. 134–143.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palmore, E. and V. Kivett: 1977, ‘Change in life satisfaction: A longitudinal study of persons age 46–70’ Journal of Gerontology 32, pp. 311–316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranis, G. R. (eds.): 1992, Taiwan-From Developing to Mature Economy(Westview Press, Boulder).

    Google Scholar 

  • Spreitzer, E. and E. E. Snyder: 1974, ‘Correlates of life satisfaction among the aged’ Journal of Gerontology 29, pp. 454–458.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stock, W. A., M. A. Okun, M. J. Haring and R. A. Witter: 1983, ‘Age and subjective well-being: A meta-analysis’ in R. J. Light (ed.), Evaluation Studies Review Annual, vol. 8 (Sage, Beverly Hills, CA).

    Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, W., G. Streib and J. Kosa: 1960, ‘The effect of retirement on personal adjustment: A panel analysis’ Journal of Gerontology 15, pp. 165–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • TPIFP: 1989, 1989 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan: Questionnaire and Survey Design (Comparative Study of the Elderly in Four Asian Countries).

  • TPIFP: 1993, 1993 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan: Questionnaire and Survey Design (Comparative Study of the Elderly in Four Asian Countries).

  • Witt, D. P., G. D. Lowe, C.W. Peek and E.W. Curry: 1980, ‘The changing association between age and happiness: Emerging trend or methodological artifact?’ Social Forces 58, pp. 1302–1307.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Institute of Economics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

    Chaonan Chen

Authors
  1. Chaonan Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, C. Aging and Life Satisfaction. Social Indicators Research 54, 57–79 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007260728792

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007260728792

Search

Navigation