Longitudinal study of the effect of aging and dying process on well-being of the older people.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H02633
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Educational psychology
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Gondo Yasuyuki 大阪大学, 人間科学研究科, 教授 (40250196)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石崎 達郎 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究部長 (30246045)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: エイジングパラドクス / 老化 / 幸福感

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The effects of aging and approaching death on emotional states were examined by following approximately 3,000 participants in the SONIC study. We examined associations with age cohort, time since participation, time to death, and gender for positive and negative emotions. The results confirmed the relationship of higher positive and lower negative affect in the higher age groups, but found no effect of aging and approaching death.
The duration of this study was a relatively short period of 6 years. Also. fewer participants died in the younger age groups, and fewer participants in the higher age groups were available for follow-up studies. these factors might have caused the results that the effects of only the age group were strongly confirmed and that the negative effects of aging and approaching death were not identified.

Free Research Field

高齢者心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究はまず第1に、90歳以上の高齢者においてポジティブ感情が高く保たれ、ネガティブ感情が低いことを見出した。このことは超高齢者社会における朗報であるといえる。一方で加齢や死に近づくといった時間経過に伴う変化を見出すことはできなかった。このことは高齢者を対象とした縦断研究デザインや期間をさらに検討する必要性があることを示唆した。