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Cited by 17Aging and Gerontology ResearchPsychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionRecreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management

Playfulness in middle- and older age: testing associations with life satisfaction, character strengths, and flourishing

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Brauer, Kay, Stumpf, Hannah Sophie Charlott, Proyer, René T.·2024·Aging & Mental Health
DOI 10.1080/13607863.2024.2372471
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Playfulness describes individual differences in (re)framing situations in a way that they are experienced as interesting, intellectually stimulating, or entertaining. We extended the study of playfulness to groups of middle- and higher age and examined the relations of four facets of playfulness (Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical) to indicators of positive psychological functioning. METHOD: We collected self-report data from 210 participants aged between 50 and 98 years. RESULTS: The playfulness expressions in this age group were comparable to younger adults. We found that playfulness relates to life satisfaction, the PERMA domains of well-being, and character strengths with small-to-medium correlation effect sizes. The OLIW facets showed differential associations, with regression analyses revealing that particularly Other-directed is positively associated with positive psychological functioning. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the importance of playful relationships across the lifespan. We discuss the findings regarding the role of playfulness for healthy aging.

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  • Playful adults report more secure attachment patterns and more satisfying social relationships.

    “Emerging evidence suggests that playful adults report more secure attachment patterns and more satisfying social relationships, although this area remains relatively underexplored (Brauer et al., 2024;Proyer, 2014a;Shen et al., 2017).”

    From Childhood and Adult Playfulness: Links with Well-Being and Interpersonal Relationships (2026) · cites this paper as Brauer et al., 2024

    The PERMA results (page unavailable) link Other-directed playfulness with positive relationships, and the Well-Being section reports prior findings on relationship satisfaction. Our copy does not report secure attachment patterns; its own findings also concern adults aged 50–98 and a specific facet of playfulness, rather than playful adults generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • In adult relationships, playfulness is associated with greater relationship satisfaction, perceived partner responsiveness, and more constructive conflict management.

    “In adult relationships, playfulness has been associated with greater relationship satisfaction, perceived partner responsiveness, and more constructive conflict management (Brauer et al., 2024;Proyer, 2012Proyer, , 2014aProyer, , 2017;;Proyer & Brauer, 2018).”

    From Childhood and Adult Playfulness: Links with Well-Being and Interpersonal Relationships (2026) · cites this paper as Brauer et al., 2024

    The 'Playfulness and positive psychological functioning' section reports associations with greater relationship satisfaction and describes playfulness as a way to reduce conflict and resolve interpersonal tension. The 'Well-Being' section also reports associations with partners’ feelings of togetherness and tenderness, but neither section establishes an association with perceived partner responsiveness. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Playfulness, viewed from a developmental perspective, can be regarded as a relatively stable trait rooted in early interpersonal experiences.

    “This interpretation is consistent with research suggesting that playfulness, viewed from a developmental perspective, can be regarded as a relatively stable trait rooted in early interpersonal experiences (Brauer et al., 2024;Proyer, 2014b).”

    From Childhood and Adult Playfulness: Links with Well-Being and Interpersonal Relationships (2026) · cites this paper as Brauer et al., 2024

    The Adult playfulness section treats playfulness as a personality characteristic, supporting the trait portion of the claim. But the Playfulness and age section says no long-term studies were available, and the paper does not establish that playfulness is relatively stable or rooted in early interpersonal experiences. Page numbers were not provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Playfulness is linked to greater attachment security, with playful individuals tending to adopt positive views of their relationships and engaging in behaviors that foster trust and bonding.

    “Research has demonstrated that playfulness is linked to greater attachment security, with playful individuals tending to adopt positive views of their relationships and engaging in behaviors that foster trust and bonding (Brauer et al., 2024).”

    From Childhood and Adult Playfulness: Links with Well-Being and Interpersonal Relationships (2026) · cites this paper as Brauer et al., 2024

    The 'Playfulness and positive psychological functioning' section says playfulness can help increase trust and maintain relationships, and the 'Well-Being' section links other-directed playfulness to positive relationships and feelings of togetherness. Neither passage establishes greater attachment security or says playful individuals adopt positive views of their relationships. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Adult playfulness is linked to positive psychological outcomes, including life satisfaction, positive affect, and reduced depressive symptoms.

    “This finding is consistent with a substantial body of research linking adult playfulness to positive psychological outcomes, including life satisfaction, positive affect, and reduced depressive symptoms (Proyer, 2012(Proyer, , 2014b;;Proyer et al., 2021;Brauer et al., 2024).”

    From Childhood and Adult Playfulness: Links with Well-Being and Interpersonal Relationships (2026) · cites this paper as Brauer et al., 2024

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Brauer, K., Stumpf, H. S. C., & Proyer, R. T.
Affiliations
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (DE)
Corresponding author
Brauer, Kay
ORCID
Venue
Aging & Mental Health
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2024-06-28
Volume
28
Issue
11
Pages
1540-1549
ISSN
  • 1360-7863 (ISSN-L)
  • 1364-6915
DOI
10.1080/13607863.2024.2372471
OpenAlex
W4400119017
Cited by
17
References
6
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 3
FWCI
10.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Aging & Mental Health (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digitalen Hochschulbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt (Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management
Keywords
playfulness, middle age (human life stage), older adults, life satisfaction, character strengths, eudaimonia, PERMA model, positive psychological functioning, healthy aging, lifespan development
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Play and Playthings

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