High-quality relationships strengthen the benefits of a younger subjective age across adulthood.


Feeling younger than one’s chronological age–a younger subjective age bias–has been consistently linked to healthy aging. However, little is known about conditions under which such benefits are strengthened. In high-quality relationships, partners affirm individuals’ self-views and offer support that can encourage individuals to engage in behaviors compatible with their subjective age. Thus, we hypothesized the benefits of a younger subjective age bias would be stronger among adults in high-quality relationships. Hypotheses were supported in a 10-year longitudinal study of married adults (ages 34—84; N > 600): Relationship quality moderated the effect of subjective age bias on memory performance and heart rate variability, such that individuals in higher-quality relationships showed stronger beneficial effects of a younger subjective age bias. Results suggest psychological and relational resources may work together to jointly influence healthy aging. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)