Abstract

The onset of physical illness can contribute to depressive symptoms in the elderly. In turn, depression can also have a detrimental impact on physical health. This reciprocal relationship may produce a downward spiral, characterized by low subjective well-being and subsequent health declines. An important facet contributing to psychological well-being is the attainment of daily- and life-goals. However, the experience of acute physical symptoms (APS) may hinder the pursuit of these goals. In such circumstances, individuals' goal adjustment capacities can help maintain a sense of control and prevent the experience of negative emotions that stem from the constraints on goal attainment. Specifically, goal disengagement can protect individuals from the negative effect of failure, while goal reengagement can help individuals maintain a sense of purpose in life. The objective of this study was to examine the short-term relations between APS and negative affect in 215 older adults. The experience of APS was expected to contribute to same-day negative affect and to an increase in negative affect across three normal days. No reciprocal impact of negative affect on APS was anticipated. Furthermore, it was expected that goal adjustment capacities would buffer the negative effects of APS on emotional well-being. The results demonstrated that APS predicted both same-day and an increase in negative emotions across days. Additionally, both goal adjustment capacities moderated the relationship between APS and same-day negative affect, while only goal disengagement buffered the relationship across days. Negative affect did not contribute to the experience of increased APS across days. Implications of the findings for successful aging are discussed