Abstract

Objectives

Grit is a noncognitive trait that has been shown to increase monotonically throughout adulthood and predict late-life cognitive performance. Less is known about the relation between grit and successful aging in older adults.

Method

Participants over 55-years-old (N = 185) completed a series of self-report surveys assessing demographics, grit (Short Grit Scale; Grit-S), physical and emotional functioning (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey; SF-36), and changes in cognitive functioning (Everyday Cognition; ECog). Principal component analysis of the Grit-S was conducted, and then Pearson product moment correlations and multiple linear regressions were used to assess the relations between grit, age, and measures of successful aging.

Results

Grit showed no association with age, even after controlling for education. Grit total score was positively associated with a variety of successful aging variables (SF-36; physical, emotional, and social functioning, energy, general health; all p’s <.001). Component analysis of the Grit-S showed a two-component solution representing Consistency and Perseverance. Both components predicted SF-36 measures of energy, general health, and emotional function (SF-36), but only Consistency predicted cognitive decline (ECog) and SF-36 measures of physical health and pain.

Conclusion

Grit is stable throughout older adulthood and may serve as a protective factor that promotes active adaptation to the developmental challenges of aging. Consistency of interests appears to play an adaptive role in all facets of successful aging, including stability of cognitive functioning, while perseverance of effort may have a more circumscribed positive effect on physical and emotional well-being in older adults.

中文翻译：

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老年人的毅力和成功老龄化

摘要

目标

毅力是一种非认知特征，已被证明在整个成年期单调增加，并预测晚年的认知表现。关于老年人的毅力与成功衰老之间的关系知之甚少。

方法

55 岁以上的参与者 ( N  = 185) 完成了一系列自我报告调查，评估人口统计学、毅力（Short Grit Scale；Grit-S）、身体和情绪功能（医疗结果研究简表健康调查；SF-36） )，以及认知功能的变化（Everyday Cognition；ECog）。对 Grit-S 进行了主成分分析，然后使用 Pearson 乘积矩相关性和多元线性回归来评估毅力、年龄和成功老化措施之间的关系。

结果

即使在控制了教育之后，毅力也与年龄无关。毅力总分与各种成功的衰老变量呈正相关（SF-36；身体、情感和社会功能、精力、总体健康；所有p < .001 ）。Grit-S 的成分分析显示了代表一致性和毅力的双成分解决方案。这两个组成部分都预测了 SF-36 的能量、一般健康和情绪功能 (SF-36) 指标，但只有一致性预测了认知衰退 (ECog) 和 SF-36 的身体健康和疼痛指标。

结论

毅力在整个成年期都是稳定的，可以作为一种保护因素，促进积极适应老龄化的发展挑战。兴趣的一致性似乎在成功老龄化的各个方面都发挥着适应性作用，包括认知功能的稳定性，而坚持不懈的努力可能对老年人的身心健康产生更有限的积极影响。