Overall successful aging: Its factorial structure and predictive factors

Abstract

As the concept of successful ageing (SA) tends to take different meanings among researchers, there is a lack of consensus on how to measure SA. In order to address this gap, the present study aims to explore the factor structure of SA involving SA indicators presented in the literature. Using Americans' Changing Lives study (ACL), a second-order confirmatory factor analysis on factors constituting an overall SA measure and a SEM regression model to examine the predictive factors of the overall SA measure were estimated. A second-order confirmatory factor model including three latent constructs of SA - Physical Domain (diseases, functional health, and physical activity), Mental Domain (depression, self-efficacy, and cognitive impairment), and Social Domain (formal social integration, informal social integration, and social support) - fits the data properly. The findings of a SEM regression model replicates the findings of previous SA research, suggesting the overall SA latent construct is a valid measure for SA. © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.