Resilience and Perceived Successful Ageing in Malaysia: The Mediating Role of Ageing Adaptation Among Middle-Aged Civil Servants in Malaysia



Author Information

Yeshulavani Rajeswaran, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
Mohammad Mujaheed Hassan, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
Azlina Mohd Khir, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
Asmidawati Ashari, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia’s ageing population increases the need to understand how adults prepare for later life before entering old age. This study examined whether individual and environmental resilience were associated with perceived successful ageing among middle-aged Malaysian civil servants and whether ageing adaptation mediated these relationships. A cross-sectional survey was completed by 403 civil servants aged 41–59 years. Resilience, ageing adaptation and perceived successful ageing were measured using established instruments. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the measurement and structural models, with 10,000 bootstrap resamples used to test direct and indirect effects. Individual resilience had a significant positive association with perceived successful ageing, whereas environmental resilience showed a more limited direct contribution. Ageing adaptation partially mediated the relationship between resilience and perceived successful ageing. Adaptation through Psychological Growth was the strongest ageing-adaptation pathway, followed by Adaptation to Physical Change, while Adaptation to Psychosocial Loss was not significant. The findings indicate that successful ageing preparation during middle age depends not only on personal resilience but also on the capacity to interpret age-related changes constructively and sustain psychological growth. Interventions and workplace policies should strengthen individual resilience, coping resources and positive adaptation to ageing among middle-aged employees. The findings support a developmental approach that begins successful-ageing preparation before later life.


Paper Information

Conference: EGen2026
Stream: Resilience

This paper is part of the EGen2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Posted by James Alexander Gordon