Optimism and Exceptional Longevity
Description: STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE Building on prior work suggesting that optimism leads to more favorable health outcomes, we propose to examine the relationship of optimism to exceptional longevity (living to 85 year or older) and to identify mechanisms that can explain the health enhancing effects of optimism. Specifically, we will evaluate if optimism is associated with increased likelihood of engaging in healthy behaviors such as physical activity, is related to a slower rate of biologic aging (measured by telomere length and epigenetic clock), and leads to increased capacity to regulate emotions. Ultimately, by understanding mechanisms by which optimism may increase longevity we will expand knowledge of possible interventions to promote health in older individuals.
Funder: National Institute on Aging
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: R01
Start date: 2016-09-01
End date: 2022-03-31
Investigator: FRANCINE GRODSTEIN
Institution: HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Funded outputs count: 19
Funder award ID: R01AG053273
OpenAlex ID: G2806123384