It has been considered a fact that informal social activities promote well-being in old age, irrespective of whether they are performed with friends or family members. Fundamental differences in the relationship quality between family members (obligatory) and friends (voluntary), however, suggest differential effects on well-being. Further, age-related changes in networks suggest age-differential effects of social activities on well-being, as older adults cease emotionally detrimental relationships. Longitudinal representative national survey study with middle-aged (n = 2,830) and older adults (n = 2,032). Age-differential effects of activities with family members and friends on changes in life satisfaction, positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA) were examined in latent change score models. In the middle-aged group, activities with friends and families increased PA and life satisfaction and were unrelated to NA. In the older age group, family activities increased both PA and NA and were unrelated to changes in life satisfaction, but activities with friends increased PA and life satisfaction and decreased NA. Social activities differentially affect different facets of well-being. These associations change with age. In older adults, the effects of social activities with friends may become more important and may act as a buffer against negative effects of aging.

Background: Adoption and maintenance of health behaviors are often poorly predicted by behavioral intentions. To bridge the gap between intentions and behavior, strategic planning and recovery self-efficacy have been suggested as proximal predictors.Purpose: The aim was to examine the usefulness of a prediction model that includes planning and self-efficacy as postintentional mediator variables.Methods: Four longitudinal studies were conducted on dental flossing (Study I, N = 157), seat belt use (Study II, N = 298), dietary behaviors (Study III, N = 700), and physical activity (Study IV, N = 365). Dental flossing and seat belt use were assessed in students by paper-and-pencil questionnaires, whereas dietary behavior and physical activity inventories were presented to the general public in the internet.Results: By structural equation modeling, it was found that one common model fits all four data sets well. Results differed in terms of variance accounted for, but the overall patterns of estimated parameters were similar across samples.Conclusions: Self-efficacy and planning seemed to be functional as proximal predictors of health behaviors, whereas health risk perception appeared to be a negligible factor. When predicting health behaviors, self-regulatory variables should be used in addition to the behavioral intention.

Recent studies have provided considerable evidence on long-term effects of self-perceptions of aging (SPA) on indicators of successful aging such as health or life satisfaction. To date, little is known about the mechanisms underlying these effects. This study therefore examined whether negative SPA impair the use of self-regulation strategies that include selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) in case of a serious health event and thus turn into self-fulfilling prophecies for health and life satisfaction. Based on a longitudinal nationwide study with 2 measurement points over a 6-month period in 309 older people (65+ years of age) with multiple illnesses, 2 major findings emerged: First, the occurrence of a serious health event predicted increased use of SOC strategies, which in turn predicted higher self-rated health and life satisfaction. Second, this effect was moderated by negative SPA, that is, in case of a serious health event, the perception that aging is associated with physical losses led to lower use of SOC strategies promoting a healthy lifestyle (B = -0.43, SE = 0.15, p < .01). These findings contribute to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of SPA on health by showing that negative SPA as associated with physical losses might impair health-related strategies that are important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Future intervention studies could attempt to challenge negative SPA to support effective strategy use in older adults with serious illnesses.