Redley, Debra (2015) The Relationship Between Attitudes to Ageing and Loneliness in an Australian Sample Aged 50 Years and Older. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The Australian population is rapidly ageing, with a significant demographic shift towards an older population. Identifying modifiable and protective factors that assist successful ageing of older adults and help reduce the burden has become a pressing concern. The current study investigated the relationship between self-reported attitudes to ageing and loneliness in older Australians. A convenience sample of older adults (N = 94) aged between 50-89 years consisted of individuals interested in research in the ageing field and peers of the researchers. Participants completed a cross-sectional online survey comprising of the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ) measuring Physical Change, Psychosocial Loss and Psychological Growth, the UCLA Loneliness Scale -Version 3 (UCLALS) and socio-demographic characteristics. Initial correlation analyses found more positive attitudes to ageing in all three domains were significantly associated with lower levels of loneliness. Standard multiple regression analyses found more negative attitudes towards Psychosocial Loss were found to be the most significant predictor of higher levels of loneliness, followed by negative attitudes to Physical Change. Furthermore, only negative attitudes to Psychosocial Loss made a significant unique contribution to the prediction of loneliness. Results suggest that older adults who reported negative attitudes to Psychosocial Loss were more likely to experience higher levels of loneliness. Furthermore, positive attitudes to ageing may be a protective factor against loneliness and the associated negative physical and mental health outcomes to promote adaptability to age related challenges and successful ageing in older adults.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Leander Mitchell |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Aug 2025 00:55 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Aug 2025 00:55 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | attitudes to ageing, loneliness, older adults (aged 50-89 years), successful ageing |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52687 |
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