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The Mediating Effect of Perceived Stress on the Relationship between
Self-perception of Aging and Subjective Cognitive Decline among Older Adults:
A Cross-sectional Survey

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M. Zhu, X. Ding, Q. Wang, and Z. Li 1
1 School of Nursing, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, China

Background: Self-perception of aging is a significant psychological factor that is closely associated
with cognitive impairment and serves as a potential stressor during aging process. However, there is
limited research regarding the relationship and mechanisms between self-perception of aging and
subjective cognitive decline, particularly from the perspective of perceived stress.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between self-perception of aging and subjective cognitive
decline in community-dwelling older adults, and to examine the mediating effect of perceived stress.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 304 community-dwelling older adults from Beijing, China.
Self-perception of aging was measured by the Brief Aging Perceptions Questionnaire. Perceived stress was
Oral Presentation Abstracts
evaluated using the Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale and subjective cognitive decline was
assessed using the 9-item Subjective Cognitive Decline Questionnaire. Correlation and regression analysis
were employed to evaluate the association between self-perception of aging and subjective cognitive
decline. The bootstrap mediation analysis was adopted to examine the effect of perceived stress.

Results: Self-perception of aging was positively related to the perceived stress (r=0.551, P<0.01) and subjective
cognitive decline (r=0.369, P<0.01), and there was a significant correlation between perceived stress
and subjective cognitive decline (r=0.345, P<0.01). The regression analysis showed that self-perception
of aging and perceived stress had a significant impact on subjective cognitive decline (ß=0.199, P=0.004;
ß=0.215, P<0.001). Bootstrap mediating effect test indicated that the total effect of self-perception of aging
on subjective cognitive decline was 0.054. Perceived stress partially mediated the effect of self-perception
of aging on subjective cognitive decline, accounting for 38.89% of the total effect.

Conclusion: Self-perception of aging was positively related to subjective cognitive decline, and
perceived stress played a mediating effect. It is crucial to address the self-perception of aging and
perceived stress interventions in a proactive manner integrated into primary care settings, especially
for older adults with subjective cognitive decline.

Keywords: self-perception of aging, older adults, perceived stress, subjective cognitive decline,
Transactional Model of Stress and Coping

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Correspondence: Zheng Li, School of Nursing, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union
Medical College, China
E-mail: zhengli@pumc.edu.cn

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