Abstract
To understand how personal and social resources and modifiable behaviors at midlife relate to women’s psychological well-being (PWB) at later life, we examined midlife predictors of a composite measure of PWB among 1,911 participants from the multiethnic/racial Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Data were taken from 21 years of follow-up with 15 almost annual visits. Our measure of PWB was administered at visit 15 (median age of the sample was 65 years; range 60–73) and was designed to include both cognitive and affective aspects of PWB. We developed a composite of PWB including the Ryff Purpose in Life and Personal Growth scales, Diener Satifaction with Life, and the PANAS positive affect scale (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.77). Predictors included sociodemographic and personality (e.g., hostility, optimism) variables from study baseline and variables that might change over time based on cumulative data from baseline to visit 13 (e.g., physical activity, social support, depressive symptoms). In a multivariable model, greater physical activity and social support over the course of the study, and optimism and resilience were significant predictors of better PWB. Less education, higher levels of hostility, and more visits with sleep problems, depressive symptoms, cigarette smoking, self-reported fair/poor health, and financial strain were related to worse PWB at later life. Chinese women had significantly lower PWB scores compared to white women, and African-American women had significantly higher scores. Results suggest that increasing physical activity, social support, not smoking, and improving sleep are modifiable factors at mid-age that improve later PWB.