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In describing the developmental stage of “generativity versus despair,” Erickson codified the long-standing principle that people who age with a sense of purpose in life are healthier physically as well as mentally. In a prospective, national, household survey of older people, researchers examined whether this sense of purpose, measured on a validated self-report scale, predicted changes in physical health 4 years later. Physical strength at baseline and 4 years later was assessed via grip strength measured with a hand dynamometer (N=4486; mean baseline age, 63), and walking speed was measured by timing a 2.5-meter walk at a normal pace (N=1461; mean baseline age, 71).
Although each 1-standard-deviation elevation in purpose in life predicted…