Harris, Michelle (2015) The Relationship Between Attitudes to Ageing and Physical Activity in Older Australians. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
With increasing life expectancies it is important to identify correlates with older adult’s positive attitudes toward ageing to guide potential interventions and promote successful ageing. The current study aimed to determine whether there was a relationship between older adult’s attitudes toward their own ageing and level of physical activity in a sample of Australians aged 50 years and older (M = 56.24, SD = 8.96, N = 94). A cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was utilised and data was collected through an online survey which included the Attitudes to Ageing Questionnaire (AAQ) and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE). Participants were assessed on their attitudes to ageing (using a three-factor model, i.e., psychological growth, psychosocial loss, and physical change) and their level of physical activity (i.e., reported levels of household and leisure activities over a one-week period). Pearson correlation analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between the physical change subscale of the AAQ and the overall PASE score. No significant relationships were found between psychosocial loss and psychological growth subscales and the overall PASE score. The physical change subscale also revealed significant positive associations with walking, light activities, and strenuous activities. Therefore involvement in physical activity appears to be linked with some elements of an individual’s attitude towards ageing. The current findings build on previous literature by adding to the limited amount of research using the AAQ and in addition, suggest a relationship between a person’s level of physical activity and how they perceive their ageing experience.
|
Statistics for this ePrint Item |
| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| 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: | 27 Aug 2025 02:29 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Aug 2025 02:29 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | ageing, attitudes, physical activity, 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/52389 |
Actions (login required)
 |
Archive Repository Staff Only |
