Are Health and Negative Affect Decoupled in Late Adulthood? The Moderating Role of Self-Perceptions of Aging

Objectives Physical health often declines with age, yet subjective well-being (SWB) tends to remain stable. Stereotype Embodiment Theory proposes that internalized self-perceptions of aging (SPAs) shape how physical changes are interpreted. This study tested whether SPA buffered the affective impact of health decline. The role of SPA was tested in midlife and late adulthood. Methods Data came from the ILSE, a population-based study of 1,002 adults initially aged 40 or 60 and followed for 20 years. SWB was assessed via negative affect (NA). Health was physician-rated, and SPA was measured with the Attitudes Toward Own Aging scale. Latent growth curve models tested trajectories and SPA moderation. Results Health declined in both cohorts, whereas NA remained largely stable. SPA moderated the health–affect link in late adulthood only: positive SPA buffered NA increases, whereas negative SPA showed concurrent deterioration. Conclusions SPA shaped whether health decline translated into greater NA in late adulthood.