A1 Journal article (refereed)
Longitudinal associations between emotional well-being and subjective health from middle adulthood to the beginning of late adulthood (2023)
Reinilä, E., Kekäläinen, T., Kinnunen, M.-L., Saajanaho, M., & Kokko, K. (2023). Longitudinal associations between emotional well-being and subjective health from middle adulthood to the beginning of late adulthood. Psychology and Health, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2023.2261038
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Reinilä, Emmi; Kekäläinen, Tiia; Kinnunen, Marja-Liisa; Saajanaho, Milla; Kokko, Katja
Journal or series: Psychology and Health
ISSN: 0887-0446
eISSN: 1476-8321
Publication year: 2023
Publication date: 28/09/2023
Volume: Early online
Publisher: Routledge
Publication country: Switzerland
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2023.2261038
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/89352
Abstract
Emotional well-being may predict future health and vice versa. We examined the reciprocal associations between emotional well-being and subjective health from age 36 to 61.
Methods and Measures
The data were drawn from the Jyväskylä Longitudinal Study of Personality and Social Development and included information from 36-, 42-, 50- and 61-year-olds (N = 336). The emotional well-being indicators included life satisfaction and negative and positive mood. The subjective health indicators were self-rated health and psychosomatic symptoms. The analyses were conducted with random intercept cross-lagged panel models.
Results
Within-person cross-lagged associations were found between emotional well-being and subjective health. Fewer psychosomatic symptoms at ages 36 and 50 predicted higher life satisfaction at ages 42 and 61, respectively. A lower negative mood at age 42 and a higher positive mood at age 50 predicted fewer psychosomatic symptoms at 50 and 61, respectively. Conversely, a higher negative mood at ages 36 and 50 predicted better self-rated health at ages 42 and 61, respectively.
Conclusion
The relationship between emotional well-being and subjective health appears to be reciprocal. Both emotional well-being and subjective health predicted each other even 6–11 years later. However, associations may depend on the variables and age periods investigated.
Keywords: emotional life; emotions; contentment; mood; well-being; health; self-rated health; adults; psychosomatics; longitudinal research
Free keywords: life satisfaction; positive mood; negative mood; self-rated health; psychosomatic symptoms; random intercept cross-lagged panel model
Contributing organizations
Related projects
- Developmental Psychological Perspectives on Transitions at Age 60: Individuals Navigating Across the Lifespan
- Kokko, Katja
- Research Council of Finland
Ministry reporting: Yes
VIRTA submission year: 2023
JUFO rating: 2