The aim of this investigation was to determine how cognitive performance was associated with positive and negative affect and life satisfaction over time. This study involved a secondary longitudinal analysis of cross-section data collected at Phase I (1988β1992) and during an 18-month longitudinal followup at Phase II (1992β1998) of the Georgia Centenarian Study. Participants included π = 1 3 7 centenarians at Time 1 and π = 6 8survivors at Time 2. Significant stability in cognitive impairment existed at Time 1 and Time 2 for positive (π½ = . 5 5 , π < . 0 1) and negative affect (π½ = . 5 4 , π < . 0 1) models. Negative affect at Time 1 was associated with lower life satisfaction at Time 1 (π½ = β . 4 2 , π < . 0 1 ). In addition, cognitive impairment at Time 2 was associated with decreased positive emotionality at Time 2 (π½ = β . 3 9, π > . 0 1). Furthermore, greater positive affect at Time 2 was associated with greater satisfaction with life at Time 2 (π½ = . 3 5 , π < . 0 1). It appears that positive emotionality contemporaneously influences the association between cognitive impairment and life satisfaction among centenarians. Implications relative to improving life satisfaction among centenarians are discussed.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/peter-martin/23/
This article is published as Bishop, Alex J., Peter Martin, Leonard Poon, and Mary Ann Johnson. "Exploring positive and negative affect as key indicators of life satisfaction among centenarians: does cognitive performance matter?." Journal of aging research 2011 (2011). 10.4061/2011/953031