Executive function and subjective well-being in middle and late adulthood

• Main Authors: TOH, Wei Xing, YANG, Hwajin, HARTANTO, Andree
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2020
• Subjects: executive function; positive reappraisal; sense of control; subjective well-being; midlife; late adulthood; Personality and Social Contexts; Social Psychology and Interaction
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2819; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/4076/viewcontent/Toh__Yang____Hartanto__2019_.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Objectives: A growing body of research has investigated psychosocial predictors of subjective well-being (SWB), a key component of healthy ageing, which comprises life satisfaction and affective well-being. However, few studies have examined how executive function (EF)-a collection of adaptive, goal-directed control processes-could affect SWB in middle and late adulthood. Methods: By analyzing a nationally representative adult cohort ranging from early 30s to early 80s from the Midlife Development in the United States 2 study, we examined two potential mediators (i.e., sense of control versus positive reappraisal) that could underlie the relation between EF and SWB. Further, we assessed how these mediational pathways would differ across midlife and older adulthood. Results: Our results revealed that sense of control, but not positive reappraisal, significantly mediated the relation between EF and life satisfaction and affective well-being. Moreover, these mediation effects were significantly moderated by age, with more pronounced effects among older adults. Discussion: We found that EF in later adulthood facilitates a sense of control over obstacles that interfere with the attainment of goals, which in turn is associated with greater life satisfaction and positive affect. This underscores the role of EF as an increasingly valuable resource that buffers against declines in sense of control and SWB in late adulthood.