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Subjective Residual Life Expectancy in Health Self-Regulation

Department of Health Psychology, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.

Address correspondence to Jochen P. Ziegelmann, Health Psychology (PF 10), Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: jochenzi{at}zedat.fu-berlin.de

Applying socioemotional selectivity theory to the domain of health, we examined the interplay of social-cognitive predictors of physical exercise in two groups of people who perceived their remaining lifetime as either expansive or limited (based on subjective longevity ratings). Individuals (N = 370) who were prescribed physical exercise were assessed at discharge from orthopedic rehabilitation as well as 6 and 12 months later. Multigroup structural equation modeling showed differences in latent means, interrelations of predictors, and amount of explained variance. Individuals who perceived their time as limited reported a less favorable profile on social-cognitive variables and less exercise goal attainment. We give first insights on how health self-regulation differs in these groups, and we discuss avenues for intervention based on socioemotional selectivity theory. In contrast to chronological age, subjective life expectancy can be targeted by intervention.