Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS)

Abstract

The Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS) is a 20-item self-report psychological scale designed to quantify the level of anxiety an individual experiences specifically related to their own impending aging process and the associated biological, social, and psychological changes. Developed initially in 1987 by Lasher, and subsequently published with Faulkender in 1993, the scale provides a robust, multidimensional measure of aging anxiety. It distinguishes four specific factors: Fear of Old People, Psychological Concerns, Physical Appearance, and Fear of Loss. The instrument utilizes a Likert-type response format to assess subjective fears and concerns regarding old age.

Keywords

Aging anxiety, gerontology, fear of aging, attitude toward elderly, psychological assessment, scale development, ageism, physical decline.

Authors

Kathleen Patterson Lasher, Paul J. Faulkender.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS) is to provide a reliable and valid instrument for measuring the construct of Anxiety about Aging. Unlike general measures of attitude toward the elderly, the AAS focuses specifically on the individual’s subjective fears and apprehensions concerning their own personal future aging experience.

By assessing specific facets of anxiety—such as fear of physical deterioration, social isolation, loss of autonomy, and cognitive decline—the AAS serves as a critical research tool in social psychology and gerontology. It enables researchers and clinicians to identify and study the specific components of negative self-perceptions concerning old age, facilitating targeted psychological interventions.

Construct

The AAS measures the psychological construct defined as Aging Anxiety, which is characterized by the apprehension, tension, and fear associated with the anticipated negative consequences of growing older. This construct is recognized as a multidimensional phenomenon, meaning that fears related to aging originate from various distinct domains rather than a single generalized worry.

The scale operationalizes this construct across four distinct factors, encompassing both personal psychological states and external social or physical fears. High scores on the AAS indicate a high level of anxiety regarding the individual’s future elderly self, suggesting potential vulnerability to age-related stress and negative coping mechanisms.

Validity

Initial validation for the AAS was established during the developmental phases, confirming its strong construct validity. This was primarily achieved through the use of factor analysis, which successfully differentiated the four hypothesized dimensions of aging anxiety, suggesting that the items accurately group together to measure their intended subscales.

Subsequent research using the AAS has further supported its external validity by demonstrating expected correlations with related constructs, such as general trait anxiety and ageist attitudes. The scale effectively captures the specific fears associated with the aging process, proving its utility as a specialized psychological scale for assessing age-related concerns.

Reliability

The Anxiety about Aging Scale demonstrates a high level of internal consistency, which is a key indicator of reliability. The original research reported an acceptable to good Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .82 for the total scale score. This strong coefficient confirms that the 20 items are measuring the underlying construct of aging anxiety in a consistent and cohesive manner.

While the overall reliability is robust, researchers often examine the internal consistency of the individual subscales (Fear of Loss, Physical Appearance, etc.) to ensure that each dimension maintains adequate reliability when used independently in research analyses.

Factor Analysis

The structure of the Anxiety about Aging Scale is empirically supported by a four-factor solution derived from factor analysis. This analysis confirmed the multidimensional nature of aging anxiety, revealing that fears related to aging cluster around specific thematic content rather than existing as a single, homogenous fear.

The four primary factors (subscales) identified are:

• Fear of Old People: This factor measures negative attitudes, discomfort, or avoidance behaviors directed toward the elderly population, often interpreted as a projection of fear regarding one’s own future self.
• Psychological Concerns: This dimension focuses on existential and internal fears, including worry about loss of meaning, inability to find contentment, or feelings of uselessness in old age.
• Physical Appearance: This factor captures anxiety specifically related to the visible signs of aging, such as physical deterioration, changes in looks, and loss of attractiveness.
• Fear of Loss: This addresses concerns about the loss of social connections, friends, family, financial resources, and, crucially, the loss of personal autonomy and independence.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale.

Format: 20 items scored on a Likert-type scale, typically ranging from 5 points (e.g., strongly disagree to strongly agree).

Language Available: English (Original). Translations and cultural adaptations have been used in subsequent studies globally.

Population Group: General adult population; frequently used in educational and clinical research settings with young and middle-aged adults.

Age Group: Primarily adults who are anticipating the aging process.

Population Details: The scale was initially validated on samples of university students in the United States, but it has since been applied successfully to diverse adult populations, including healthcare professionals and community samples.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement. Scoring involves calculating a total score by summing responses (after reversing scores for positively worded items) and calculating four distinct subscale scores based on the factor structure.

Keywords

AAS, physical decline, autonomy, self-perception, age anxiety measurement, psychological assessment, self-report instrument, Likert scale.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not publicly provided in source documents.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not publicly provided in source documents.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence for the 1993 publication was likely through the Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi (for Lasher) or Oklahoma State University (for Faulkender).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Anxiety about Aging Scale was first developed in 1987 (dissertation) and formally published in 1993 in the International Journal of Aging and Human Development. As a published academic instrument, it is widely available for non-commercial academic research use, provided proper citations are included.

Researchers intending to use the scale for commercial, proprietary, or large-scale clinical application should contact the authors, Kathleen Patterson Lasher and Paul J. Faulkender, or the journal publisher (SAGE Publishing) to secure formal usage rights and permissions. No standard fee is typically associated with its use in scholarly research.

Reference’s

The original PDF of related research and the instrument itself can be downloaded here: https://shareok.org/bitstream/handle/11244/6988/Department%20of%20Psychology_66.pdf?sequence=1

• Lasher, K. P. (1987). Development and initial validation of the Anxiety about Aging Scale. Dissertation Archive. Paper 2835. Available at: http://aquila.usm.edu/theses_dissertations/2835
• Lasher, K. P., & Faulkender, P. J. (1993). Measurement of aging anxiety: Development of the Anxiety about Aging Scale. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 37(4):247-259.
• Wisdom, Nicholas M. (2010). Social acceptance of age discrimination. Oklahoma State University. Doctoral dissertation.
• Arash Poorsattar Bejeh Mir, & Morvarid Poorsattar Bejeh Mir. (2014). Dentistry students ageing anxiety levels in northern Iran. Gerodontology, 31(4): 260–264.

Items of the Anxiety about Aging Scale (AAS)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. I enjoy being around old people.
2. I fear that when I am old all my friends will be gone.
3. I like to go visit my older relatives.
4. I have never lied about my age in order to appear younger.
5. I fear it will be very hard for me to find contentment in old age.
6. The older I become, the more I worry about my health.
7. I will have plenty to occupy my time when I am old.
8. I get nervous when I think about someone else making decisions for me when I am old.
9. It doesn’t bother me at all to imagine myself as being old.
10. I enjoy talking with old people.
11. I expect to feel good about life when I am old.
12. I have never dreaded the day I would look in the mirror and see gray hairs.
13. I feel very comfortable when I am around an old person.
14. I worry that people will ignore me when I am old.
15. I have never dreaded looking old.
16. I believe that I will still be able to do most things for myself when I am old.
17. I am afraid that there will be no meaning in life when I am old.
18. I expect to feel good about myself when I am old.
19. I enjoy doing things for old people.
20. When I look in the mirror, it bothers me to see how my looks have changed with age.