Exploring subjective well-being concepts for a deeper understanding of successful aging

Abstract

This study investigates themes with Subjective Well-Being (SWB) concepts among older adults, focusing on differences across age groups and life satisfaction levels in the second half of life. Using data from the German Ageing Survey of 2,438 participants aged 40-85, qualitative responses from a sentence completion questionnaire (SELE) were analyzed through modern text mining approaches. Additionally, the study utilized quantitative data from the Satisfcation With Life Scale (SWLS). Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) methods identified three primary themes within concepts of SWB: holistic views and family values, specific relationships and emotional challenges, and work-life and leisure balance. The study found a shift in concepts of SWB from younger adults (40-54), who were predominantly associated with holistic views and family values to older adults (55-69, 70-85), who focused on specific relationships and emotional challenges. Furthermore, the results support literature suggesting that the Paradox of Well-Being may only be evident until around age 70. These findings align with theories of successful aging which propose that adaptive responses and shifting priorities are crucial for maintaining well-being. However, the oldest age group in our sample (70-85) was predominantly in the low life satisfaction group, supporting previous literature, suggesting that, after a certain point of decline and loss maintaining well-being becomes increasingly challenging.