Ghisletta P. On some challenges of psychological research in late adulthood and aging.
Curr Opin Psychol 2024;
55:101745. [PMID:
38056404 DOI:
10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101745]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The World population is aging and, consequently, understanding late adulthood and aging processes is a major scientific priority. Research in this segment of the life is particularly challenging: the lifespan approach, necessary for thorough aging investigations, implies theoretical multidisciplinary and methodological multivariate perspectives; variability during aging is particularly high compared to previous life phases; study designs must account for specific predicaments (such as confound between age, cohort, and time of measurement; selective study participation and attrition; assumed age-invariance of measurements; retest effects). Furthermore, promising methods for data analysis develop on a daily basis, requiring continuous technical training. I will discuss some of these challenges, summarize extant potential solutions, and touch on some ethical and broader social responsibility issues.
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