Behavioral engagement and psychological perceptions in successful aging: the role of aging anxiety in older adults

AIM: This study examined the relationships among fear of aging, engagement in healthy aging behaviors, and successful aging, and explored whether behavioral engagement moderates the association between fear of aging and successful aging. METHODS: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with 348 adults aged 50 years and older in Türkiye. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Successful Aging Scale, Engagement in Healthy Ageing Scale, and Fear of Old Age Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, linear regression, and moderation analyses (PROCESS Model 1) were performed. RESULTS: Engagement in healthy aging behaviors was strongly associated with successful aging (r = 0.701, p < 0.001) and significantly predicted successful aging (β = 0.701, p < 0.001), explaining 49.1% of the variance. Fear of aging showed a weak positive association with successful aging (r = 0.178, p < 0.05) but was unrelated to engagement in healthy aging behaviors. Behavioral engagement did not moderate the relationship between fear of aging and successful aging. CONCLUSIONS: Engagement in healthy aging behaviors appears to be a key determinant of successful aging, whereas fear of aging has a limited influence and does not promote behavioral engagement. These findings support interventions that encourage active health-promoting behaviors to foster successful aging.