AGE, DISABILITY, AND THE SENSE OF MASTERY

Are there age differences in the sense of mastery, independent of phys ical disability? Do age and disability have joint effects on mastery? We propose that both age and disability have independent and synergist ic effects on the sense of mastery or control. We analyze data from a large community sample of disabled individuals and a comparison of non disabled respondents. Our study finds that, indeed, disabled and older respondents report lower levels of mastery. Moreover; the influence o f disability on mastery is conditioned by age-and the interaction diff ers across age groups. In addition, our findings suggest that disabled individuals are disadvantaged in the status variables traditionally a ssociated with greater control. When we adjust for these status variab les, we reduce the strength of a quadratic age by disability interacti on term considerably. The patterns we find in mastery among those indi viduals in their middle-years suggest to us that disabled and nondisab led individuals may live out their lives with differential opportuniti es for attainment and that this inequality has implications for their sense of mastery. Our findings reveal complex nonlinear and synergisti c associations among age disability, and the sense of mastery and rais e provocative questions for future research.