Perseverative Cognition and Mortality Risk in Midlife and Older Age
Author Information
Author(s): Robert Stawski, Jacqueline Mogle, Dakota Witzel
Primary Institution: University of Essex
Hypothesis
Does perseverative cognition predict mortality risk in midlife and older adults?
Conclusion
Higher levels of daily perseverative cognition are linked to increased mortality risk in midlife and older adults.
Supporting Evidence
- Higher average daily perseverative cognition was associated with a two-fold increase in mortality risk.
- Larger stressor-related increases in perseverative cognition were linked to an 81% increase in mortality risk.
- Findings were robust to adjustments for age, sex, and other factors.
Takeaway
Worrying and overthinking can make you more likely to get sick or die as you get older.
Methodology
Data from the National Study of Daily Experiences was used, with multilevel models and Cox proportional hazards regression to analyze the relationship between perseverative cognition and mortality.
Participant Demographics
Participants had an average age of 47.5 years, with a range from 25 to 75 years, and 57% were women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=.007, p=.002
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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