The role of subjective successful aging in the relationship between financial exploitation and mental health

Objectives: A body of work has demonstrated an association between financial exploitation (FE) experiences and poorer mental health. However, few studies have examined what factors may moderate relationships between FE and mental health. The present study examined whether subjective successful aging (SSA) attenuates the FE-mental health link. Method: Participants were 144 community-dwelling Israeli older adults (M age = 69.79, SD = 5.70), who responded to questions regarding their FE history, SSA, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Regression models covaried for age, sex, education level, monthly income, relationship status, and number of medical illnesses. Results: Both models revealed main effects of FE and SSA such that experiencing FE and lower SSA were associated with increased depressive/anxiety symptoms. The FE-SSA interaction was significant for both outcome variables, as the difference between FE and non-FE groups on depressive/anxiety symptoms was significant for those with low SSA but not for those with high SSA. Conclusion: Findings suggest that older adults who experience FE and view their aging as less successful are at greatest risk of experiencing poorer mental health.