Changes in Married Older Adults' Self-Perceptions of Aging: The Role of Gender

To what extent self-perceptions of aging and their correlates in later life may be gendered remains relatively unexplored. In particular, little is known about how changes in the health and spousal relationship quality over time contribute to self-perceptions of aging among married men and women. To clarify these links, we analyzed panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (2008-2016) on married individuals aged 65 years and older (N = 2,623) using within-between random effects models. Findings showed no gender difference in self-perceptions of aging at baseline and in the rate of change, and poorer health and spousal relationship quality were generally associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging. However, men and women differed in how within-person changes in health and spousal relationship quality were associated with their self-perceptions of aging. Increases in spousal strain and chronic conditions were associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging on that wave for men, whereas increases in functional limitations were associated with less positive self-perceptions of aging on that wave for women. Finally, a person-mean of spousal strain had a moderating effect for men, such that men with more overall spousal strain reported less positive self-perceptions of aging across a range of chronic conditions, compared to the men with less overall spousal strain. Findings highlight the intersection of social resources, health, and self-perceptions of aging, suggesting that gender differences in older adults' self-perceptions of aging are contextualized by different behaviors and social experiences among married men and women.