COGNITIVE REAPPRAISAL MEDIATES BETWEEN AGE AND BODY IMAGE SATISFACTION AMONG OLDER ADULT WOMEN. (16th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cantu, C; Barnett, M; Moore, J; Mokhtari, B; Rose, D; Rodriguez, D; Alsaif, H
• Is Part Of: Innovation in aging. Volume 2(2018)Supplement 1
• Page Start: 910
• Page End: 910
• Publication Date: 2018-11-16
• Subjects: Aging -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 612.67
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy031.3386
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2399-5300

Abstract

Abstract: Society sends negative messages about aging bodies, and particularly about aging female bodies (Krekula, 2016). There has been limited research regarding body image satisfaction among older adults (Clarke & Korotchenko, 2011). Previous research has found that older adult women have lower body image satisfaction (Liechty, 2012), suggesting that many older adult women internalize negative societal messages about aging bodies. However, women may respond to aging-related changes to their body and physical appearance in a number of ways. There are individual differences in cognitive reappraisal – that is, the degree to which participants change their expectations of their body or accept body-related changes to their appearance (McLean, Paxton, & Wertheim, 2010). The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which cognitive reappraisal mediates the relationship between age and body image satisfaction among older adult women (N = 264). We hypothesized that a greater tendency to cognitively reappraise how they think about age-related changes to their body and physical appearance would lessen body image dissatisfaction with age. Consistent with previous research, age was associated with lower body image satisfaction. The relationship between age and body image satisfaction was mediated by cognitive reappraisal. Overall, this suggests that women who change their expectations of their body or accept body-related changes to their appearance may lessen the body image dissatisfaction that occurs with age.