Assessing Differential Effects of Somatic Amplification to Positive Affect in Midlife and Late Adulthood—A Regression Mixture Approach

Abstract

This study aims to provide an empirical demonstration of a novel method, regression mixture model, by examining differential effects of somatic amplification to positive affect and identifying the predictors that contribute to the differential effects. Data derived from the second wave of Midlife in the United States. The analytic sample consisted of 1,766 adults aged from 33 to 84 years. Regression mixture models were fitted using Mplus 7.4, and a two-step model-building approach was adopted. Three latent groups were identified consisting of a maladaptive (32.1%), a vulnerable (62.5%), and a resilient (5.4%) group. Six covariates (i.e., age, education level, positive relations with others, purpose in life, depressive symptoms, and physical health) significantly predicted the latent class membership in the regression mixture model. The study demonstrated the regression mixture model to be a flexible and efficient statistical tool in assessing individual differences in response to adversity and identifying resilience factors, which contributes to aging research.