Effects of subjective successful ageing on post-traumatic growth and well-being during the COVID-19

Given the higher vulnerability to hospitalisation and mortality, older adults showed higher levels of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, both positive and negative post-traumatic reactions can co-occur in trauma-exposed individuals. The present study thereby investigates the longitudinal effects of subjective successful ageing on older adults' post-traumatic growth and psychological well-being and explores an underlying mechanism through positive and negative attention bias during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 414 Hong Kong Chinese older adults (Mage = 68.92, SD = 6.64, range = 60–91 years) were recruited and participated in a questionnaire study via an online platform or face-to-face interview. Their levels of subjective successful ageing, attention to positive and negative information, post-traumatic growth, life satisfaction and depressive symptoms were measured during the fifth outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. The respondents who perceived themselves as more successful in the ageing process reported more post-traumatic growth (β = 2.23, p = .03), higher life satisfaction (β = 7.55, p < .001), and fewer depressive symptoms (β = –5.17, p < .001). The mediation analysis showed that both positive (βs = –4.19–3.50, ps < .001) and negative attention bias (βs = –2.37–2.19, ps < .05) could partially account for the effects of subjective successful ageing on post-traumatic reactions. The findings of this study thus unveil the beneficial effects of subjective views of successful ageing on post-traumatic reactions to the pandemic through paying more attention to positive information and neglecting negative information related to the pandemic. © 2024 The Author(s).