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Active Ageing, Wellbeing and Learning in Later Life

Andrew JenkinsInstitute of Education, University of London, UK

Presentation for Cedefop/European CommissionLearning Later in Life Seminar21st September 2011, Brussels

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Research Questions• Does participation in learning in later life have beneficial effects on wellbeing?

• Are some types of learning more beneficial than others?

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Potential Outcomes of Learning[the three capitals framework, from Schuller, 2004]

• Human capital »Knowledge and skills

• Social capital»Social and civic participation, friends, networks

• Identity capital »Self-esteem, locus of control, sense of purpose, critical

thinking

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English Longitudinal Study of Ageing: Overview

• Original sample taken from 3 sweeps of Health Survey of England (1998, 1999, 2001)

• ELSA is representative of the English 50+ population in private households at the baseline (2002/03)

• ELSA Wave 1: 2002/03; ELSA Wave 2, 2004/05; ELSA Wave 3, 2007 • Sample size at Wave 1: approx 11,000 • Data available from UK Data Archive

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Information on learning in ELSA

• Current participation in music, arts or evening classes

• Current participation in gym/exercise classes• Recent or current participation in formal education

or training course

Learning Participation: ELSA Wave 1Type of Course, by Gender

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Formal course Evening class Gym visit / exercise class02468

101214161820

Men

Women

Type of learning

Per C

ent

Learning Participation: ELSA Wave 1Type of Course, by Age Band

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Formal course Evening class Gym visit / exercise class

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

50 to less than 6060 to less than 7070 to less than 8080 plus

Type of Learning

PerC

ent

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Subjective Well-being Measures in ELSA

• Quality of Life: CASP-19. CASP means control, autonomy, self-realisation, pleasure

• GHQ-12. General Health Questionnaire • Life Satisfaction. SWLS – Satisfaction With Life

Scale (Diener)

CASP-19 is a theory based Quality of Life Measure developed under the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council’s Growing Older Programme (2000-2003)

See “Quality of Life and the third age: key predictors of CASP-19”. Wiggins, Higgs, Hyde and Blane. (2004). Special Issue of Ageing and Society. Vol 24(3), pp.1-16.

Concepts and indicators……

Quality of life

Concepts and indicators……

Quality of life

Control &Autonomy

Self-realisation

Pleasure

Item 1

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4

Item 19

Examples of some of the CASP-19 items

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CONTROL & AUTONOMY My age prevents me from doing the things I would like to do* I feel that what happens to me is out of my control * I feel left out of things * I can do the things I want to do I feel that I can please myself what I do Shortage of money stops me doing things I want to do *

* reverse code

Examples of some of the CASP-19 items

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SELF- REALISATION

I feel full of energy these days I feel that life is full of opportunities I feel that the future looks good for me

Examples of some of the CASP-19 items

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PLEASURE

I look forward to each day I feel that my life has meaning I enjoy the things that I do

GHQ-12

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Twelve items e.g. Have you recently.....…been able to concentrate on whatever you’re doing?* Better than Same as Less than Much less usual usual usual than usual…lost much sleep over worry?*Not at No more Rather more Much more all than usual than usual than usual …felt constantly under strain?*Not at No more Rather more Much more all than usual than usual than usual

* Reverse coded. Each coded on 4-point scale from 0 to 3, maximum score 36

Satisfaction with Life Scale

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• “In most ways my life is close to my ideal” • “The conditions of my life are excellent” • “I am satisfied with my life” • “So far I have got the important things I want in

life” • “If I could live my life again, I would change

almost nothing”Each coded on 7-point scale, from strongly agree to strongly disagree, and then

summed to obtain score (minimum 0, maximum 30)

Subjective Wellbeing Measures in each ELSA Wave

ELSA WAVE Wave 1 Wave 2 Wave 32002 2004 2007

Quality of Life (CASP-19)

√ √ √

Wellbeing (GHQ-12)

√ √

Life SatisfactionSWLS

√ √

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Summary statistics on the outcome variables

Quality of LifeCASP-19

WellbeingGHQ-12

Life SatisfactionSWLS

Mean 43.3 25.6 21.2

SD 8.3 4.5 6.2

Min 0 0 0

Max 57 36 30

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Method (1): estimation strategy• Interest: statistical associations between measures of wellbeing

(response) and measures of learning (explanatory)

• Method issue 1: other observable factors influencing wellbeing » Control for these observable factors in multiple regression model

• Method issue 2: unobservable (but fixed) characteristics influencing both wellbeing and participation in learning

» Use change in wellbeing, rather than level of wellbeing as response variable

•

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Method (2): dealing with dropout and non-response

Longitudinal survey: people tend to drop out over time (attrition) » Use probability weights to allow for dropout from the survey

(standard set of weights supplied with ELSA survey)

Respondents don’t answer all questions: a problem for multiple regression

» Use multiple imputation to overcome this. (specifically imputation by chained equations in Stata)

Multiple regression models for change in outcome

control variables entered in stages1. level of outcome variable2. Age, gender, highest qualification3. Marital status, work status, income, health status, in pain, mobility, support from family/friends4. Change in partner status, work status, physical health and mobility variables

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Summarising the multiple regression models(models with all controls included)

Change in Quality of Life

(CASP-19)

Change in Wellbeing (GHQ-12)

Change in Life Satisfaction

(SWLS)Formal education/ training course

0.120 -0.034 0.086 [0.58] [-0.22] [0.45]

Music/arts/evening class

0.716 0.361 0.723 [3.49]*** [2.27]** [3.78]***

Gym/exercise class

0.271 0.016 0.028 [1.56] [0.12] [0.18]

No of observations 6,113 5,641 5,518

Absolute values of t-statistics in parentheses. Significant at *10%, **5%, ***1%

Magnitude of ‘effects’ of adult learning?

Quality of Life: mean decline in CASP-19 score between 2 waves approx 0.5; compares to an increase of approx 0.7 associated with participation in adult learning (music/arts/evening classes)

Life satisfaction: score typically declines by 1 point between 2 waves; compares to an increase of approx 0.7 associated with participation in adult learning (music/arts/evening classes)

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Analysis of sub-groups

Analysis of impact of music/arts/evening classes on wellbeing showed few differences by sub-group (gender, age group, work status, marital status)

Evidence that those with higher education who participated in learning had larger gains in wellbeing than people with no qualifications who participated in learning

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Summary of main results

Evidence that participation in learning linked to increased wellbeing

Participation in music/arts/evening classes remains significantly associated with wellbeing, even after allowing for many other factors

Other forms of learning, including formal education and training courses, not associated with increased wellbeing (after allowing for other factors)

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What are the implications of these findings?• Learning in later life can have an impact on individual wellbeing

A contribution to ‘successful ageing’

• Only some types of learning have direct impact on wellbeing Participation in non-vocational learning i.e. leisure classes No evidence that formal education/training courses have an effect

• Key message for policy While vocational training is important in many respects other forms of

learning, including learning for pleasure/interest, should not be neglected

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Implications (continued)• The research does not rule out vocational training having an indirect

impact on wellbeing

• For example, older people who regard themselves as unemployed have much lower wellbeing (on average) than those who are in employment

• So IF vocational training helps to keep older adults in employment

then it would contribute to wellbeing in an indirect way

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ADDITIONAL SLIDES

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Change in Quality of Life: CASP-19 (ELSA waves 1 to 2)

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020

040

060

080

010

00Fr

eque

ncy

-40 -20 0 20 40Change in CASP-19 (Wave 1 to 2)

Change in Quality of Life by Age Band

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-4-3

-2-1

0C

hang

e in

CA

SP

-19

Sco

re

50s 60s 70s 80s 90 plus

Change in Quality of Life and Level at Wave 1

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-40

-20

020

40C

hang

e in

CA

SP

-19

(Wav

e 1

to 2

)

10 20 30 40 50 60score on CASP-19 at wave1

Multiple regression model of Learning on change in Quality of Life (CASP-19)

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(1) (2) (3) (4) Formal course 0.571

(2.45)** 0.203 (0.86)

0.257 (1.10)

Music, Arts or evening class 0.694 (3.06)***

0.726 (3.14)***

0.721 (3.16)***

Gym or exercise class 0.913 (4.93)***

0.497 (2.66)***

0.294 (1.59)

Observations 6113 5769 5629 5526 R-squared 0.0960 0.1049 0.1477 0.1941 Adult Learning variables None All All All Controls CASP 19 at wave

1 only CASP 19 at wave

1 only All Wave 1

controls All Wave 1 controls and

changes by Wave 2

Absolute value of t statistics in parentheses * significant at 10%; ** significant at 5%; *** significant at 1%