Rebecca Delaney

National survey of midlife development in the United States.

The National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) was first funded by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development. An interdisciplinary network of scholars from multiple disciplines such as psychology, epidemiology, and sociology was involved with the project. Some prominent investigators of the original MIDUS development included Orville Brim (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation on Successful Midlife Development), Paul Baltes (Max Planck Institute for Human Development), and Ronald Kessler (Harvard Medical School). The focus of MIDUS was conceptually broad, examining a collection of behavioral, psychological, and social factors associated with age-related variations in health and well-being extending from midlife into older adulthood (Brim, Ryff, & Kessler, 2004). Data collection began from 1995 through 1996, with the original MIDUS sample consisting of 7,108 predominantly Caucasian participants aged 25 to 74 years. This wide age range combined with strategic sampling design captures the developmental variation needed to examine the foundations of midlife change and aging processes. Along with the national probability sample (N1⁄4 3,487), MIDUS also includes a selective oversampling of metropolitan areas (N1⁄4 757), a sibling sample of the main respondents (N1⁄4 950), and a national sample of twin pairs (N1⁄4 1,914). With a diverse team of coinvestigators, MIDUS measures were oriented to collect a wide array of information in different content areas. Content areas included demographic and life history factors, physical and mental health histories, behavioral patterns, relationship and social network characteristics, exercise and dietary activities, occupational information, childhood characteristics, religiousness, financial data, and future interests and hopes. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development 2014, Vol. 79(4) 329–331 ! The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0091415015574174 ahd.sagepub.com

In the moment and feeling good: Age differences in mindfulness and positive affect.

Although aging is often associated with several negative outcomes (e.g., declines in physical health), older adults generally report more positive and less negative affect than younger adults. The mechanisms underlying this “well-being paradox” are not clearly understood. In the present study, we examined whether differences in trait mindfulness accounted for age differences in affect. Community-dwelling younger (n = 123, Mage = 28.63 years) and older adults (n = 117, Mage = 68.10 years) completed measures of affect and mindfulness. Older adults reported significantly more positive affect and mindfulness than younger adults. Negative affect did not differ by age. After controlling for mindfulness, positive affect no longer differed by age. That is, mindfulness significantly mediated the relation between age and positive affect. An alternative model in which positive affect mediated the relation between age and mindfulness was not supported. These findings suggest that age-related increases in trait mindfulness may contribute to age differences in emotional well-being. Implications of these findings for health and well-being in younger and older adults are discussed.

Living longer with help from others: Seeking advice lowers mortality risk:

Associations between self-sufficiency and advice seeking with mortality risk were examined to assess the long-term implications of individualistic and interpersonally oriented strategies. Wave 1 participants from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (N = 6116, 25–75 years, Mage = 46.38 years) completed questionnaires assessing demographics, self-sufficiency, advice seeking, social support, and health. Cox proportional hazard models indicated that each standard deviation increase in seeking advice was associated with an 11 percent decreased hazard of dying 20 years later. Self-sufficiency was not significantly related. Future research should examine contexts in which interpersonal strategies are adaptive, as seeking advice from others promotes longevity.