Affect and age: Cross-sectional comparisons of structure and prevalence.
Abstract
The self-reports of 207 young-adult (ages 18-30), 231 middle-aged (ages 31-59), and 828 older-adult (age 60 and over) Ss were used to study the structure of affect. Affects were represented by terms included in various circumplex arrays of emotions as presented by previous investigators. A set of 46 affects was subjected to exploratory analysis, and a final set of 38 affects was subjected to confirmatory factor analysis. The goodness of fit of each group's factor loadings to the hypothesized factors of positive affect, depression, anxiety-guilt, contentment, hostility, and shyness was not up to the desired .90 level, and some significant differences in factor structure were observed for each age-group comparison. There were few age differences in levels of positive affect. Depression was most frequent among younger Ss and least frequent among older Ss. Younger Ss were most often anxious and shy. Older Ss were most often content and least often hostile.
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Anxiety experiences can differ by age; younger adults often feel shame or guilt, while older adults may experience fear.
“Anxiety experiences can differ by age; younger adults often feel shame or guilt, while older adults may experience fear.21”
From Role of Anxiety in Individuals with Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Systematic Review (2025) · cites this paper as [21]
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Role of Anxiety in Individuals with Generalized Joint Hypermobility: A Systematic Review
van Die-de Vries, J. E., Rameckers, E., Calders, P., Engelbert, R. H., Ramaekers, S. P., Goossens, M. E., & Verbunt, J. A. (2025) · Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation · doi:10.1016/j.arrct.2025.100467 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
“21 During adolescence, anxiety and chronic pain become more prevalent.”
- Authors
- Lawton, M. P., Kleban, M. H., & Dean, J.
- Affiliations
- Polisher Research Institute (US)
- Venue
- Psychology and Aging
- Published
- 1993
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 165-175
- ISSN
- 0882-7974 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1498
- OpenAlex
- W2069069563
- Cited by
- 202
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 3.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology and Aging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service (R3707001)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- affect, age differences, positive affect, depression, anxiety, guilt, contentment, hostility, shyness, circumplex model of emotion, factor structure, older adults, young adults, middle-aged adults
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Affect, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Cross-Sectional Studies, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Assessment, Psychometrics, Reference Values
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