Does older mean flexible? Psychological flexibility and illness cognitions in chronic medical conditions - the moderating effect of age

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographics by Age Group.

Variable	Young (≤ 49 years old, n=50)	Midlife (50-59 years old, n=29)	Young old (60-69 years old, n=46)	Elderly (≥ 70 years old, n = 65)
Mean Age (SD)	34.12 (8.27)	55.69 (2.62)	64.57 (2.55)	79.85 (6.61)
Sex
Female	20	16	21	35
Male	30	13	25	30
Total	50	29	46	65
Educational level *
High school	23	13	21	43
Some College	5	2	6	8
Bachelor’s	14	10	11	11
Master’s or higher	7	3	8	2
Did not answer	-	1	-	1
Income level
Below average	14	7	15	22
Average	10	6	8	23
Above average	22	14	10	12
Did not answer	4	2	3	8
Family status **
Single	27	4	3	2
Married	20	16	30	37
Divorced/none of the above	3	9	13	26
CMC type
Nephrology (Dialysis)	7	14	25	28
Dermatology (Psoriasis)	43	15	16	9
Geriatric			5	28

* p < .01. ** p < .001.

Figure 1. Correlations between PF -Reality as dynamic changing and ICQ- Acceptance scores.

Table 2. Illness cognition and psychological flexibility ratings by age Group.

Variable	Age Group	n	Mean	SD
ICQ-Helplessness *	Younger	50	11.09	4.08
	Midlife	29	14.36	6.34
	Young old	46	14.11	5.28
	Elderly	65	13.28	4.95
ICQ-Acceptance	Younger	50	15.92	3.73
	Midlife	29	17.60	4.71
	Young old	46	17.31	4.71
	Elderly	65	17.61	3.77
ICQ-Perceived Benefit	Younger	50	14.01	4.72
	Midlife	29	15.05	5.20
	Young old	46	13.16	5.03
	Elderly	65	14.01	4.48
PF-PPC	Younger	50	18.88	3.50
	Midlife	29	19.07	4.26
	Young old	46	18.35	4.06
	Elderly	65	19.35	8.86
PF-SAF	Younger	50	23.37	4.15
	Midlife	29	23.97	5.55
	Young old	46	24.54	4.70
	Elderly	65	23.77	4.90
PF-SOC	Young	50	20.37	7.74
	Midlife	29	20.13	2.77
	Young old	46	20.56	3.04
	Elderly	65	20.23	3.43
PF-RDC	Younger	50	18.76	2.82
	Midlife	29	20.18	2.75
	Young old	46	19.65	3.61
	Elderly	65	19.67	3.70
PF-RMF **	Younger	50	15.16	1.92
	Midlife	29	15.37	2.16
	Young old	46	15.14	2.86
	Elderly	65	13.81	3.27

Note: ICQ = Illness Cognition Questionnaire; PF-PPC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Positive Perception of Change; PF-SAF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Flexible; PF-SPO = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Open and Innovative; PF-RDC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Dynamic and Changing; PF-RMF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Multifaceted.

* p < .05. ** p < .01.

Table 3. Correlations Between Study Variables.

Illness Cognition Factor	Sex	Education Level	Income	Family Status	Age	Severity	PF-PPC	PF-SAF	PF-SOI	PF-RDC	PF-RMF
ICQ-Helplessness	.063	.010	-.055	.080	.158*	.293**	-.018	-.015	-.022	-.089	-.034
ICQ-Acceptance	-.057	-.108	.034	.017	.128*	.375**	.083	.096	-.020	.058	.014
ICQ-Perceived Benefit	-.077	.028	.050	.057	.013	.258**	.066	.052	.032	-.110	-.020

Note: ICQ = Illness Cognition Questionnaire; PF-PPC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Positive Perception of Change; PF-SAF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Flexible; PF-SPO = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Open and Innovative; PF-RDC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Dynamic and Changing; PF-RMF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Multifaceted.

* p < .05. ** p < .01.

183 ≥ N ≤ 192

Table 4. Linear regression model for ICQ-Acceptance Scores (n = 181).

Variables	B	SE	β	R^2	ΔR^2
Step 1				.03
Sex	−.33	.61	−.04
Education level	−.67	.31	−.17*
Income	−.40	.31	.11
Family status – single	−.46	.08	.04
Family status – divorced/other	.31	.71	.00
Step 2				.16 5	.13**
Sex	.05	.57	.00
Education level	−.59	.29	.15*
Income level	.57	.24	.14
Family status – single	.34	.77	.03
Family status – divorced/other	.70	.50	.08
Medical condition severity	1.57	.29	.37**
Step 3
Sex	.03	.60	.00	16.9	.00
Education level	−.61	.30	−.16*
Income	.54	.30	.15
Family status – single	.34	.70	.03
Family status – divorced/other	.70	.68	.78
Medical condition severity	1.48	.30	.37**
PF-PPC	.33	.40	.07
PF-SAF	.03	.53	.00
PF-SOI	−.03	−.29	−.00
PF-RDC	.00	.40	.00
PF-RMF	−.05	.04	−.01
Age	.07	.33	.00
Step 4				21.1	.04**
Sex	.06	.59	.00
Education level	−.63	.30	−.16*
Income	.46	.30	.11
Family status – single	.26	1.37	.06
Family status – divorced/other	.62	.72	.07
Medical condition severity	1.45	.30	.36**
PF-PPC	.38	.39	.08
PF-SAF	−.01	.52	−.00
PF-SOI	−.	.28	−.02
PF-RDC	.20	.40	.05
PF-RMF	.09	.40	.04
Age	.00	.33	.01
Age X PF-RDC	−.83	.28	−.21**

Note: ICQ = Illness Cognition Questionnaire; PF-PPC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Positive Perception of Change; PF-SAF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Flexible; PF-SPO = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Open and Innovative; PF-RDC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Dynamic and Changing; PF-RMF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Multifaceted.

* p < .05. ** p < .01.

Table 5. Linear regression model for ICQ-Perceived Benefit Score (n = 181).

Variables	B	SE	β	R^2	ΔR^2
Step 1				.01
Sex	−.92	.73	−.09
Education level	−.08	.37	−.01
Income	.20	.38	.043
Family status – single	−.85	.96	−.07
Family status – divorced/other	.56	.85	.05
Step 2				.07*	.06**
Sex	−.69	.71	−.07
Education level	−.23	.36	.00
Income	.33	.37	.07
Family status – single	−.20	.96	−.01
Family status – divorced/other	1.09	.85	.05
Medical condition severity	1.21	.36	.25**
Step 3				.14**	.06*
Sex	−.92	.73	−.09
Education level	−.19	.37	−.04
Income	.25	.37	.05
Family status – single	−1.25	1.12	−.10
Family status – divorced/other	.11	.88	.01
Medical condition severity	1.47	.37	.32**
PF-PPC	.77	.48	.13
PF-SAF	−1.25	.65	−.18
PF-SOI	.59	.35	.13
PF-RDC	−1.05	.48	−.20*
PF-RMF	.35	.49	.07
Age	−.36	.40	−.08

Note: ICQ = Illness Cognition Questionnaire; PF-PPC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Positive Perception of Change; PF-SAF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Flexible; PF-SPO = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Perception of Self as Open and Innovative; PF-RDC = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Dynamic and Changing; PF-RMF = Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire – Reality as Multifaceted.

* p < .05. ** p < .01.