Longitudinal associations among exercise atmosphere, physical self-esteem, and aging attitudes in older adults

Abstract

Physical self-esteem and aging attitudes are two key psychological factors associated with well-being in older adults. While previous research has emphasized the role of exercise in promoting healthy aging, how these factors dynamically interact within varying exercise environments remains underexplored. This study employed a three-wave random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) to examine within-person and between-person associations among exercise atmosphere, physical self-esteem, and aging attitudes in 697 Chinese older adults. Results showed that individuals who generally perceived a more favorable exercise atmosphere also reported more positive aging attitudes at the between-person level. At the within-person level, however, deviations in exercise atmosphere were not significantly associated with subsequent deviations in aging attitudes. Conversely, more positive aging attitudes predicted subsequent improvements in perceived exercise atmosphere. Bidirectional effects were also found between exercise atmosphere and physical self-esteem, indicating a reinforcing relationship. These findings underscore the importance of targeting aging attitudes to support sustained engagement in physical activity among older adults.