The Role of Optimism on the Relationship Between Activity Limitations and Life Satisfaction Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the United States: A Growth Curve Model of Changes Over Time

Activity limitations can diminish life satisfaction. This study explored the role of optimism on the relationship between changes in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living (ADL/IADL) limitations and life satisfaction over time among middle-aged and older adults. Growth curve modeling accounting for intra- and inter-individual changes in life satisfaction was applied to the 2008-2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study Leave Behind Survey subsample ( n = 39,122 person-years). After controlling for sociodemographic factors, physical functioning decline adversely affected life satisfaction ( β ADL = -0.12, β IADL = -0.13, p < 0.001), but the negative consequences reduced slightly through optimism ( β ADL = -0.11, β IADL = -0.12, β optimism = 0.47, p < 0.001). Increasing optimism could reduce the negative consequences of ADL/IADL limitations on life satisfaction among middle-aged to older adults.