Does flexible adjustement predict life satisfaction in older adults ? A six-year longitudinal study.

Abstract : The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between flexible goal adjustment and life satisfaction (as an enduring component of subjective well-being) using six-year longitudinal data from a sample of older adults. The study included 704 participants aged 63-97 years assessed four times over a six-year period. Simultaneous and lagged models were specified and estimated using structural equation modeling. Both simultaneous and lagged coefficients indicated that a high score on flexible goal adjustment significantly predicted subsequent levels of life satisfaction. In line with successful aging theory, our findings support the view that the ability to adjust personal goals flexibly is a central resource when unattainable goals are encountered and it contributes to well-being in old age.