Fear of Aging in Older Adults: The Role of Meaning in Life, Self-Compassion and Perceived Social Support

The ever-increasing papulation of older people, the prolongation of life and the passing of a significant part of people’s lives in the third and fourth periods of life, have led to tremendous and profound changes in society and social subsystems. As it is essential to descript the fear of aging and the investigation of its effects on the whole personal and interpersonal life of older adults, the Identification and study of possible variables involved in this type of studies can be a way to control and reduce the negative effects of this ambiguous experience. This was a descriptive study, of correlational type.‌ The statistical population of the research included all older men and women aged 65 to 80 years old living in Ilam, Iran in 2021, among whom 300 people (140 men and 160 women) were selected by convenience sampling and according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.‌ The measures included Steger et al.’s meaning of life, Neff’s self-compassion, Wax et al.’s perceived social support, and Lasher and Falkander’s fear of old age questionnaires. The data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and univariate regression analysis in SPSS-26 software. The results of Pearson’s correlation coefficient figured out that there is a significant correlation between fear of aging with meaning of life (r=-.46), self-compassion (r=-.59) and perceived social support (r=-.47).‌ The results of univariate regression analysis indicated that the meaning of life (β=-.459, P<.001), self-compassion (β=.001, P<.520) and perceived social support (P<.001, β=-.575) can negatively predict the fear of aging in older adults.‌ Therefore, psychologists working in the field of aging are suggested to take advantages of promoting meaning in life, self-compassion and perceived social support to reduce the fear of aging in the elderly.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
Introduction
Fear of aging in old age holds a particular depth and significance. Holding a negative view towards aging causes older people to feel fear of aging and leads them to experience pathological anxiety. Research suggests that meaning in life, self-compassion, and perceived social support have a significant impact on the fear of aging in older adults. When social support and interpersonal relationships are weak, and family members fail to establish effective communication, the experience of the fear of aging and its related psychological issues become more prevalent. Additionally, older individuals who seek meaning in their lives, view life purposefully and meaningfully, enhance their psychological health and well-being, serving as a defensive mechanism against the reality of aging. Besides, self-compassion during old age acts as a protective factor against negative emotions, aiding individuals in coping with the effects of aging. Although few studies have examined various variables in predicting the fear of aging in older adults, as of yet, no study has simultaneously examined the role of meaning in life, self-compassion, and perceived social support as the predictor of fear of aging. Therefore, considering the existing gaps in the research literature in this field of inquiry, this study aims to investigate the role of meaning in life, self-compassion, and perceived social support in predicting the fear of aging in older adults.
Method
This was a descriptive study, of correlational type. The study population included all older men and women aged 65 to 80 living in Ilam in 2021, among whom 300 individuals (140 men and 160 women) were selected using convenience sampling methods. Inclusion criteria were (1) aged between 65 to 80 years old, (2) having at least a primary level of education (ability to read and write), and (3) willingness to participate in the research. Exclusion criteria included (1) having mental health issues and (2) consumption of psychiatric drugs. Participants completed Steger et al.’s meaning of life, Neff’s self-compassion, Wax et al.’s perceived social support, and Lasher and Falkander’s fear of old age questionnaires. The study questionnaires were designed in printed form with bold font. If respondents encountered any ambiguities during the questionnaire completion, clarification was provided by the researcher, assuring them that their information would remain confidential, and the research results would be published anonymously. Finally, the data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and univariate regression analysis in SPSS-26.
Results
To assess the normality of the data distribution, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic was used, the results of which indicated that the obtained statistic value for the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was not significant at the 0.05 level for all the variables. Therefore, all variables had a normal distribution. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to examine the relationships between predictor variables and the criterion variable. The correlation results indicated significant correlations between fear of aging and meaning in life and (r = -0.46), self-compassion (r = -0.59), and perceived social support (r = -0.48) (P<0.05). To predict the fear of aging in older adults based on meaning in life, self-compassion, and perceived social support, univariate regression analysis was employed with enter method. Results indicated that meaning in life significantly and negatively predicted fear of aging in older adults (β = -0.459, P<.001), indicating that an increase in meaning in life leads to a decrease in the fear of aging. Similarly, self-compassion significantly and negatively predicted fear of aging (β = -.520, P<.001), signifying that an increase in self-compassion leads to a decrease in the fear of aging. Additionally, perceived social support significantly and negatively predicted fear of aging  (β = -0.575, P <.001), showing that an increase in perceived social support leads to a decrease in the fear of aging. Based on the obtained results, the variables of meaning in life, self-compassion, and perceived social support have the predictive potential for the fear of aging. Results can be seen in Table 1.
Conclusion
Aging is an undeniable stage of growth in every individual’s life path, and a profound examination of that can enrich the experiences of this period. Seeking and finding meaning represents the true manifestation of human existence. Emphasizing the spiritual and inner assets of older adults and integrating these abilities against the weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and physical illnesses of old age contributes to reducing the fear of aging. Self-compassion leads to viewing one’s weaknesses differently and respecting oneself as a growing human being. It appears that the power of social support and fostering strong and deep interpersonal relationships is immensely significant during old age. Despite the inevitable challenges of this period, the elderly can also have immensely valuable and enriching experiences. For instance, having a meaningful life, social support, and self-compassion can effectively influence the bitter experience of the fear of aging and act as a psychological support umbrella. Therefore, it can be concluded that psychologists and specialists in geriatrics can impact the psychological health and fear of aging in older adults by relying on positive psychology theories and highlighting the significance of meaning in life, social support, and self-compassion during this phase.
Ethical Consideration
Ethical Code
To comply with ethical standards in the research, the ethical code IR.IAU.TABRIZ.REC1401.066 was obtained from Islamic Azad University, Tabriz beranch.
Financial Support
 This study had no financial support
Authors’ Contributions
Z.D: Writing - Original draft, writingreview & editing, data curation; M.A.V: Software, formal analysis, resources; N.M: Conceptualization, methodology
Conflict of Interest
 The author had no conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgments
The authors of this article extend their gratitude to the Deputy of Research at the Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, for their spiritual support and collaboration in conducting this research. They also express thanks to older participants in this study who patiently responded to the questionnaires.   
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