Women coming to terms with aging: the importance of psychosocial factors

Studies concerning the process of aging for women tend to focus on age-related physical changes and their correlates, often overlooking the psycho-social aspects of aging. The current study aims to understand women’s experiences of aging, while also validating recently developed separate Q-sort scales of ego integrity and despair. Data drawn from a larger study of older college-educated women were used to examine relationships between health, concern about aging, ego integrity, despair, and well-being. Hierarchical linear regression results indicate that despair – but note go integrity – was related to well-being over and above health status and levels of aging concern.