Accepting the Aging Body: Protective Factors of Body Acceptance in Persons of Advanced Age

Abstract

Introduction: Physical attractiveness, productivity, religiosity, meaningfulness, and relationships are important characteristics of successful aging. To maintain psychological flexibility, acceptance and values-directed interventions have been effective in managing difficulties with aging. Objectives: The present paper aimed to investigate body acceptance and individual values in healthy individuals over the age of 50 living in Austria. Methods: In addition to sociodemographic variables, subjective age, attractiveness, and desire for body changes were assessed in our survey. The Austrian Value Questionnaire was used to record values, and the German Version of the Quality of Marriage scale assessed partnership quality. Data from 187 older adults were recruited via snowball sampling. Analyses were performed in SPSS and R, using a structural equation modeling approach. Results: The results indicate that as age increases and subjective attractiveness decreases, body acceptance declines. Materialism seems to support the desire for cosmetic surgery (β = .230, p = .016). A negative association between conservatism and changes in desires for body change (β = −.221, p = .044) suggests that greater value commitment and conservative attitudes are related to fewer change desires. Conclusion: These findings underpin the necessity for encouraging individuals early on to be in touch with their values to promote psychological flexibility.