Personal values and mortality: Power, benevolence and self-direction predict mortality risk.

Publisher: Routledge Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 8807983 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1476-8321 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 08870446 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Psychol Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: <2010-> : Abingdon, Oxon : Routledge
Original Publication: Chur ; New York : Harwood Academic Publishers ; London : distributed by STBS Ltd., c1987-

Social Values*; Mortality/*trends; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Beneficence ; Female ; Germany/epidemiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Personal Autonomy ; Power, Psychological ; Risk ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objectives: Although personal values guide one's life in several important aspects, no study has examined how personal values relate to mortality. The current study strives to fill this gap. I ask: Which personal values prospectively predict mortality?
Design: A large population-based sample of middle-aged and older adults in Germany was used ( N  = 6089).
Methods: Personal values were measured in 2008 according to Schwartz using the Portraits Value Questionnaire. Mortality was monitored up to 2017, resulting in a maximum follow-up period of about 10 years.
Results: Using Cox survival regression analyses, I found that Self-direction and, in part, Benevolence predicted a decreased mortality risk. Conversely, Power predicted an increased mortality risk.
Conclusions: Thus, valuing independent thought and action (Self-Direction) and valuing the well-being of close others (Benevolence) seem to be associated with improved health, whereas valuing dominance and materialism (Power) is associated with diminished health. Future research should examine the mechanisms by which these personal values relate to mortality.

Keywords: Values; health; morbidity; mortality

Date Created: 20200507 Date Completed: 20210505 Latest Revision: 20210505

20231215

10.1080/08870446.2020.1761976

32372668