Marja J Aartsen
Biographic Data
| ID | 286271 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Marja J Aartsen |
| GIVEN NAMES | Marja J |
| FAMILY NAME | Aartsen |
| SIGNATURE | AARTSEN M J |
| AFFILIATIONS | OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-4246-7621 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 32 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 208 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 32 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 9 |
Rethinking ageing in place from a human rights perspective
The unique and synergistic effects of social isolation and loneliness on 20-years mortality risks in older men and women
Introduction: This study investigates the individual and combined impacts of loneliness and social isolation on 20-year mortality risks among older men and women. Methods: Utilizing data from the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing, and Generation study (NorLAG) carried out in 2002, 2007 and 2017, we assessed loneliness via direct and indirect questions, and social isolation through factors like partnership status and contact frequency with family and …
Understanding volunteering intensity in older volunteers
Although volunteering is considered a good strategy for successful ageing, not many older adults are engaged in voluntary work and those who are do so mainly sporadically. This study focuses on time invested in volunteering rather than on doing voluntary work or not, as is often done in studies so far. By combining the theory of resources for volunteering with a functional and structural approach to volunteering, this cross-sectional study seeks …
How Welfare Regimes Moderate the Associations Between Cognitive Aging, Education, and Occupation
Our findings indicate that the associations of cognitive functioning and its decline with individuals' cognitive reserve markers (education and occupational skill level) vary according to welfare regimes, showing the importance of contextual factors in cognitive aging processes
Exclusion from Social Relations in Later Life
Older adults face particular risks of exclusion from social relationships (ESR) and are especially vulnerable to its consequences. However, research so far has been limited to specific dimensions, countries, and time points. In this paper, we examine the prevalence and micro- and macro-level predictors of ESR among older adults (60+) using two waves of data obtained four years apart across 14 European countries in the Survey of Health, Ageing and…
The role of subjective age in sustaining wellbeing and health in the second half of life
Subjective age (SA) is a core indicator of the individual ageing experience, with important consequences for successful ageing. The aim of the current study was to investigate the directions of the longitudinal associations between domains of SA and subjective wellbeing and physical functioning in the second half of life. We used three-wave survey data (2002, 2007 and 2017) spanning 15 years from the Norwegian Lifecourse, Ageing and Generation St…
Do Welfare Regimes Moderate Cumulative Dis/advantages Over the Life Course? Cross-National Evidence from Longitudinal SHARE Data
Our research did not find evidence of cumulative disadvantage with aging in the studied life-course characteristics and age range. Instead, trajectories showed narrowing differences with differing patterns across welfare regimes
Social Exclusion and Mental Wellbeing in Older Romanians
In Romania, inequalities in health and wellbeing between younger and older Romanians are substantial, and an important reason for inequalities may be the higher risk of social exclusion among older adults. After the fall of Communism in 1989, the many transformations in economic structures and welfare regimes contributed to enhanced levels of social exclusion, in particular among the older generations. Social exclusion is a multidimensional probl…
Old-Age Exclusion
This editorial serves a double purpose. It introduces the articles and commentary comprising this thematic issue on old-age exclusion, and simultaneously aims to make a concise contribution to the discussion on the relation between agency of older people and old-age exclusion. While indeed it is clear that limitations of agency due to a lack of resources in old age or age discrimination lead to exclusion of older people, the relationship between …
The Social Support–Health Link Unraveled
Objective: Despite evidence that social support is strongly related to health, very little is known about the mechanisms underlying this association. This study investigates whether physical activity, depressive symptoms, and chronic diseases mediate the associations between social support and functional capacity. Method: Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam on 954 participants, aged 75 and older, covering 9 years, are analyzed with l…
Life Course Socioeconomic Conditions and Frailty at Older Ages
Findings suggest that CSC are associated with frailty at old age. However, when taking into account ASC, this association no longer persists. The results show the importance of improving socioeconomic conditions over the whole life course in order to reduce health inequalities in old age
Life-Course Circumstances and Frailty in Old Age Within Different European Welfare Regimes
These findings suggest that childhood misfortune is linked to frailty in old age. Such a disadvantaged start in life does not seem to be compensated by a person's life-course socioeconomic trajectory, though certain types of welfare regimes affected this relationship. Apart from main occupational position, our findings do not support the cumulative dis/advantage theory, but rather show narrowing differences
Spousal Loss and Change in Cognitive Functioning
Considering that only one cognitive domain was affected and effects were temporary, cognitive functioning seems rather robust to the experience of spousal loss. Despite men having often been reported to be in a disadvantaged position in other health domains, our analyses indicate no such pattern for cognitive functioning
Dynamics of Volunteering and Life Satisfaction in Midlife and Old Age
A growing literature shows that doing voluntary work not only helps the wider community but can also improve one’s own well-being. To date, however, few studies have examined the relationship between volunteering and well-being in non-US and especially in comparative data. We study this relationship using two waves of data of 18,559 individuals aged 50 and above from 12 European countries. We analyze life satisfaction impacts of change and stabil…
Sociaal-economische ongelijkheden in ‘succesvol ouder worden’
Amsterdam University Press is a leading publisher of academic books, journals and textbooks in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Our aim is to make current research available to scholars, students, innovators, and the general public. AUP stands for scholarly excellence, global presence, and engagement with the international academic community
Social pathways to health
Good health is one of the key qualities of life, but opportunities to be and remain healthy are unequally distributed across socio-economic groups. The beneficial health effects of the social network are well known. However, research on the social network as potential mediator in the pathway from socio-economic position (SEP) to health is scarce, while there are good reasons to expect a socio-economical patterning of networks. We aim to contribut…
Cognitive functioning among Dutch older adults
Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program
Loneliness stems from a mismatch between the social relationships one has and those one desires. Loneliness often has severe consequences for individuals and society. Recently, an online adaptation of the friendship enrichment program (FEP) was developed and tested to gain insight in its contribution to the alleviation of loneliness. Three loneliness coping strategies are introduced during the program: network development, adapting relationship s…
Types of Non-kin Networks and Their Association With Survival in Late Adulthood
A combination of structural and functional network characteristics should be taken into account when developing intervention programs aiming at increasing social integration outside the family network
The Effects of Life Events and Socioeconomic Position in Childhood and Adulthood on Successful Aging
SEP and particular stressful life events are largely, but not entirely independent predictors of SA. We found that high and low SEP may increase exposure to particular events that negatively affect SA. Findings suggest that low (childhood) SEP and stressful life events are interrelated factors that may limit individual opportunities to age successfully
Diversity in Older Adults’ Care Networks
The results suggest that local (non-)kin could be mobilized more often in coresidential networks. Increasing informal or alternative care in publicly paid networks is less likely, due to limited social and financial resources
Social engagement from childhood to middle age and the effect of childhood socio-economic status on middle age social engagement
Social engagement has powerful effects on wellbeing, but variation in individual engagement throughout the lifecourse is wide. The trajectories may differ by gender and be affected by socio-economic status (SES). However, long-term development of social engagement is little studied and the effect of childhood SES on later-life social engagement remains obscure. We aimed to describe the social engagement development from childhood to middle age by…
Socioeconomic inequalities in a 16-year longitudinal measurement of successful ageing
BACKGROUND: This study examines to what extent education, occupation and income are associated with the multidimensional process of successful ageing, encompassing trajectories of physical, mental and social functioning in old age. METHODS: We employed 16-year longitudinal data from 2095 participants aged 55-85 years at baseline in the Dutch, nationally representative Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. For 9 indicators of successful ageing, sepa…
The mix matters
Loneliness after Divorce
Divorce increases the risk of loneliness. With divorce increasingly becoming a normal life event, societal changes are now challenging this idea as regards to current cohorts. We hypothesize that the relative strong feelings of loneliness among divorcees, compared with married people, has diminished over time. Using 1992, 2002, and 2012 data sets of 54–65-year-old people, we examine the impact of divorce on loneliness over 20 years. We compare th…
A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Physical and Cognitive Decline on the Personal Network in Old Age
The effects of cognitive and physical decline on changes in the size and composition of four types of personal networks over a period of six years were investigated in a Dutch sample of 1552 older adults, aged 55-85 years. The effects of age and a decline in cognitive and physical functioning on the probability of changes in all possible network types were investigated. Transitions related to age and to cognitive and physical decline were observe…
The mix matters
Activity in Older Adults
The impact of three types of everyday activities (i.e., social, experiential, and developmental) on four cognitive functions (i.e., immediate recall, learning, fluid intelligence, and information-processing speed) and one global indicator of cognitive functioning (Mini-Mental State Exam score) over a period of 6 years was studied in a large 55--85 year-old population-based sample (N = 2,076). A cross-lagged regression model with latent variables …
Dynamics of Volunteering and Life Satisfaction in Midlife and Old Age
A growing literature shows that doing voluntary work not only helps the wider community but can also improve one’s own well-being. To date, however, few studies have examined the relationship between volunteering and well-being in non-US and especially in comparative data. We study this relationship using two waves of data of 18,559 individuals aged 50 and above from 12 European countries. We analyze life satisfaction impacts of change and stabil…
Does loneliness mediate the relation between social support and cognitive functioning in later life
Diversity in Older Adults’ Care Networks
The results suggest that local (non-)kin could be mobilized more often in coresidential networks. Increasing informal or alternative care in publicly paid networks is less likely, due to limited social and financial resources
Spousal Loss and Change in Cognitive Functioning
Considering that only one cognitive domain was affected and effects were temporary, cognitive functioning seems rather robust to the experience of spousal loss. Despite men having often been reported to be in a disadvantaged position in other health domains, our analyses indicate no such pattern for cognitive functioning
Do Welfare Regimes Moderate Cumulative Dis/advantages Over the Life Course? Cross-National Evidence from Longitudinal SHARE Data
Our research did not find evidence of cumulative disadvantage with aging in the studied life-course characteristics and age range. Instead, trajectories showed narrowing differences with differing patterns across welfare regimes
Cognitive functioning among Dutch older adults
Types of Non-kin Networks and Their Association With Survival in Late Adulthood
A combination of structural and functional network characteristics should be taken into account when developing intervention programs aiming at increasing social integration outside the family network
Loneliness after Divorce
Divorce increases the risk of loneliness. With divorce increasingly becoming a normal life event, societal changes are now challenging this idea as regards to current cohorts. We hypothesize that the relative strong feelings of loneliness among divorcees, compared with married people, has diminished over time. Using 1992, 2002, and 2012 data sets of 54–65-year-old people, we examine the impact of divorce on loneliness over 20 years. We compare th…
Life Course Socioeconomic Conditions and Frailty at Older Ages
Findings suggest that CSC are associated with frailty at old age. However, when taking into account ASC, this association no longer persists. The results show the importance of improving socioeconomic conditions over the whole life course in order to reduce health inequalities in old age
Life-Course Circumstances and Frailty in Old Age Within Different European Welfare Regimes
These findings suggest that childhood misfortune is linked to frailty in old age. Such a disadvantaged start in life does not seem to be compensated by a person's life-course socioeconomic trajectory, though certain types of welfare regimes affected this relationship. Apart from main occupational position, our findings do not support the cumulative dis/advantage theory, but rather show narrowing differences
The Effects of Life Events and Socioeconomic Position in Childhood and Adulthood on Successful Aging
SEP and particular stressful life events are largely, but not entirely independent predictors of SA. We found that high and low SEP may increase exposure to particular events that negatively affect SA. Findings suggest that low (childhood) SEP and stressful life events are interrelated factors that may limit individual opportunities to age successfully
Social engagement from childhood to middle age and the effect of childhood socio-economic status on middle age social engagement
Social engagement has powerful effects on wellbeing, but variation in individual engagement throughout the lifecourse is wide. The trajectories may differ by gender and be affected by socio-economic status (SES). However, long-term development of social engagement is little studied and the effect of childhood SES on later-life social engagement remains obscure. We aimed to describe the social engagement development from childhood to middle age by…
Understanding volunteering intensity in older volunteers
Although volunteering is considered a good strategy for successful ageing, not many older adults are engaged in voluntary work and those who are do so mainly sporadically. This study focuses on time invested in volunteering rather than on doing voluntary work or not, as is often done in studies so far. By combining the theory of resources for volunteering with a functional and structural approach to volunteering, this cross-sectional study seeks …
Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program
Loneliness stems from a mismatch between the social relationships one has and those one desires. Loneliness often has severe consequences for individuals and society. Recently, an online adaptation of the friendship enrichment program (FEP) was developed and tested to gain insight in its contribution to the alleviation of loneliness. Three loneliness coping strategies are introduced during the program: network development, adapting relationship s…
Socioeconomic inequalities in a 16-year longitudinal measurement of successful ageing
BACKGROUND: This study examines to what extent education, occupation and income are associated with the multidimensional process of successful ageing, encompassing trajectories of physical, mental and social functioning in old age. METHODS: We employed 16-year longitudinal data from 2095 participants aged 55-85 years at baseline in the Dutch, nationally representative Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. For 9 indicators of successful ageing, sepa…
How Welfare Regimes Moderate the Associations Between Cognitive Aging, Education, and Occupation
Our findings indicate that the associations of cognitive functioning and its decline with individuals' cognitive reserve markers (education and occupational skill level) vary according to welfare regimes, showing the importance of contextual factors in cognitive aging processes
The Social Support–Health Link Unraveled
Objective: Despite evidence that social support is strongly related to health, very little is known about the mechanisms underlying this association. This study investigates whether physical activity, depressive symptoms, and chronic diseases mediate the associations between social support and functional capacity. Method: Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam on 954 participants, aged 75 and older, covering 9 years, are analyzed with l…
Activity in Older Adults
The impact of three types of everyday activities (i.e., social, experiential, and developmental) on four cognitive functions (i.e., immediate recall, learning, fluid intelligence, and information-processing speed) and one global indicator of cognitive functioning (Mini-Mental State Exam score) over a period of 6 years was studied in a large 55--85 year-old population-based sample (N = 2,076). A cross-lagged regression model with latent variables …
Mastery Beliefs and Productive Leisure Activities in the Third Age
In the present study we examined the associations between beliefs of mastery and 2 important kinds of productive activities in the third age: participation in education, and volunteering. Within the broad concept of mastery beliefs, differential aspects of self-regulatory cognitions were studied, that is, self-esteem, control beliefs, effort to complete behavior, persistence in the face of adversity, and willingness to initiate behavior. Effects …
A Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Physical and Cognitive Decline on the Personal Network in Old Age
The effects of cognitive and physical decline on changes in the size and composition of four types of personal networks over a period of six years were investigated in a Dutch sample of 1552 older adults, aged 55-85 years. The effects of age and a decline in cognitive and physical functioning on the probability of changes in all possible network types were investigated. Transitions related to age and to cognitive and physical decline were observe…
Risk factors for anxiety and depression in the elderly
Onset of loneliness in older adults
The goal of this research is to test whether often observed correlates of loneliness in older age are related to onset of loneliness longitudinally. Despite the increasing number of longitudinal studies, the investigation of factors that are related to onset of loneliness is still limited. Analyses are based on data of the TamELSA study, which is a population-based prospective study in Tampere, Finland and started in 1979. For the present study 4…
Does loneliness mediate the relation between social support and cognitive functioning in later life
Successful Ageing and its Relationship to Contemporary Norms. A Critical Look at the Call to 'Age Well
Human ageing is inextricably bound to the loss of physical and cognitive functions, loss of social roles, and loss of social contacts, though losses in functioning and social roles not necessarily threatens the level of well-being according to older adults themselves. This paradoxical finding has fuelled the scientific and political arena for many years, and discussions about what is successful aging has not yet subsided. To investigate to what e…
The mix matters
Loneliness after Divorce
Divorce increases the risk of loneliness. With divorce increasingly becoming a normal life event, societal changes are now challenging this idea as regards to current cohorts. We hypothesize that the relative strong feelings of loneliness among divorcees, compared with married people, has diminished over time. Using 1992, 2002, and 2012 data sets of 54–65-year-old people, we examine the impact of divorce on loneliness over 20 years. We compare th…
Types of Non-kin Networks and Their Association With Survival in Late Adulthood
A combination of structural and functional network characteristics should be taken into account when developing intervention programs aiming at increasing social integration outside the family network
The Effects of Life Events and Socioeconomic Position in Childhood and Adulthood on Successful Aging
SEP and particular stressful life events are largely, but not entirely independent predictors of SA. We found that high and low SEP may increase exposure to particular events that negatively affect SA. Findings suggest that low (childhood) SEP and stressful life events are interrelated factors that may limit individual opportunities to age successfully
Diversity in Older Adults’ Care Networks
The results suggest that local (non-)kin could be mobilized more often in coresidential networks. Increasing informal or alternative care in publicly paid networks is less likely, due to limited social and financial resources
Social engagement from childhood to middle age and the effect of childhood socio-economic status on middle age social engagement
Social engagement has powerful effects on wellbeing, but variation in individual engagement throughout the lifecourse is wide. The trajectories may differ by gender and be affected by socio-economic status (SES). However, long-term development of social engagement is little studied and the effect of childhood SES on later-life social engagement remains obscure. We aimed to describe the social engagement development from childhood to middle age by…
Socioeconomic inequalities in a 16-year longitudinal measurement of successful ageing
BACKGROUND: This study examines to what extent education, occupation and income are associated with the multidimensional process of successful ageing, encompassing trajectories of physical, mental and social functioning in old age. METHODS: We employed 16-year longitudinal data from 2095 participants aged 55-85 years at baseline in the Dutch, nationally representative Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. For 9 indicators of successful ageing, sepa…
Sociaal-economische ongelijkheden in ‘succesvol ouder worden’
Amsterdam University Press is a leading publisher of academic books, journals and textbooks in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Our aim is to make current research available to scholars, students, innovators, and the general public. AUP stands for scholarly excellence, global presence, and engagement with the international academic community
Social pathways to health
Good health is one of the key qualities of life, but opportunities to be and remain healthy are unequally distributed across socio-economic groups. The beneficial health effects of the social network are well known. However, research on the social network as potential mediator in the pathway from socio-economic position (SEP) to health is scarce, while there are good reasons to expect a socio-economical patterning of networks. We aim to contribut…
Cognitive functioning among Dutch older adults
Does stimulating various coping strategies alleviate loneliness? Results from an online friendship enrichment program
Loneliness stems from a mismatch between the social relationships one has and those one desires. Loneliness often has severe consequences for individuals and society. Recently, an online adaptation of the friendship enrichment program (FEP) was developed and tested to gain insight in its contribution to the alleviation of loneliness. Three loneliness coping strategies are introduced during the program: network development, adapting relationship s…
Spousal Loss and Change in Cognitive Functioning
Considering that only one cognitive domain was affected and effects were temporary, cognitive functioning seems rather robust to the experience of spousal loss. Despite men having often been reported to be in a disadvantaged position in other health domains, our analyses indicate no such pattern for cognitive functioning
Dynamics of Volunteering and Life Satisfaction in Midlife and Old Age
A growing literature shows that doing voluntary work not only helps the wider community but can also improve one’s own well-being. To date, however, few studies have examined the relationship between volunteering and well-being in non-US and especially in comparative data. We study this relationship using two waves of data of 18,559 individuals aged 50 and above from 12 European countries. We analyze life satisfaction impacts of change and stabil…
Social Exclusion and Mental Wellbeing in Older Romanians
In Romania, inequalities in health and wellbeing between younger and older Romanians are substantial, and an important reason for inequalities may be the higher risk of social exclusion among older adults. After the fall of Communism in 1989, the many transformations in economic structures and welfare regimes contributed to enhanced levels of social exclusion, in particular among the older generations. Social exclusion is a multidimensional probl…
Old-Age Exclusion
This editorial serves a double purpose. It introduces the articles and commentary comprising this thematic issue on old-age exclusion, and simultaneously aims to make a concise contribution to the discussion on the relation between agency of older people and old-age exclusion. While indeed it is clear that limitations of agency due to a lack of resources in old age or age discrimination lead to exclusion of older people, the relationship between …
The Social Support–Health Link Unraveled
Objective: Despite evidence that social support is strongly related to health, very little is known about the mechanisms underlying this association. This study investigates whether physical activity, depressive symptoms, and chronic diseases mediate the associations between social support and functional capacity. Method: Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam on 954 participants, aged 75 and older, covering 9 years, are analyzed with l…
Life Course Socioeconomic Conditions and Frailty at Older Ages
Findings suggest that CSC are associated with frailty at old age. However, when taking into account ASC, this association no longer persists. The results show the importance of improving socioeconomic conditions over the whole life course in order to reduce health inequalities in old age
Life-Course Circumstances and Frailty in Old Age Within Different European Welfare Regimes
These findings suggest that childhood misfortune is linked to frailty in old age. Such a disadvantaged start in life does not seem to be compensated by a person's life-course socioeconomic trajectory, though certain types of welfare regimes affected this relationship. Apart from main occupational position, our findings do not support the cumulative dis/advantage theory, but rather show narrowing differences
Psychology (29 works) · Medicine (26 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (25 works) · Developmental psychology (19 works) · Gerontology (19 works) · Social Psychology (13 works) · Sociology (12 works) · Aging and Gerontology Research (11 works) · Political science (11 works) · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction (11 works)