Subjective Age in Older Korean Americans: The Impact of Functional Disability Mediated by Attitudes Toward Aging

Abstract

The present study aims to examine how subjective age of older Korean Americans would be affected by functional disability and attitudes toward aging. We hypothesized that (a) both functional disability and attitudes toward aging would have a direct effect on subjective age and (b) the effect of functional disability on subjective age would be mediated by attitudes toward aging. Our analyses of the survey data with 208 community-dwelling Korean Americans aged 60 and older (mean age = 69.6, SD = 7.51) showed that the indirect effect of functional disability on subjective age through attitudes toward aging [–.020 (.009)] was significant (bias-corrected 95% confidence interval [–.039, –.006]). The findings suggest that functional disability fosters negative attitudes toward aging, which in turn leads to the feelings of being older than actual age. Our study suggests ways to preserve and promote positive perceptions of age and aging.