New study shows successful aging a question of ‘mind over matter’

A new study released at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s (ACNP) Annual Meeting suggests that the seniors’ perceptions of the aging process depend not on disease or physical disability, but rather on attitude and coping style. This research, conducted at and funded by the Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging at the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, is unusual in employing subjective reports as a measure of successful aging.

“The medical community has not reached consensus on what constitutes successful aging,” commented lead researcher Dilip Jeste, MD, Estelle and Edgar Levi Chair in Aging and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at UCSD. “The commonly used criteria suggest that a person is aging well if they have a low level of disease and disability. However, this study shows that self-perception about aging can be more important than the traditional success markers.”

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 13 Dec 2005
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