"The Pandemic has Aged Me": The Impact of Blocked Goals on Subjective Age

Abstract

Many individuals report feeling aged by the COVID-19 pandemic, a sentiment widely expressed across social media and journalism. This study investigates what it means to feel aged by a life experience, integrating theories of subjective aging and adult development. I developed a novel self-report measure to assess perceptions of being aged by the pandemic and examined its relation to blocked personal goals. Results from the first wave of a longitudinal study (n=234) supported the validity of this measure, showing that participants who experienced greater goal disruption during the pandemic were more likely to report feeling aged. Furthermore, participants who felt aged, particularly those classified as languishing rather than flourishing, reported lower life satisfaction. These findings suggest that feeling aged by hardship may indicate not just stress but a more lasting shift, with significant implications for subjective aging and overall well-being.