Abstract:
Savoring abilities are proposed to enhance the experience of positive affect yet there is a paucity of research exploring the moderating role of savoring in the association of positive affect and health outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to examine savoring as a cross-sectional moderator of the associations of affect and self-rated global, physical, and mental health in an adult sample. A secondary aim was to explore whether the proposed savoring-moderated association varied by age. A total of 216 adults aged 20-80 years-old completed a series of questionnaires including the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; used to calculate an affect balance score), the Savoring Beliefs Inventory, and the PROMIS 10-item measure of global self-rated health (used to derive global, physical, and mental health ratings). Study materials were completed online, at a single-time point. Greater affect balance scores were uniquely positively associated with global, physical, and mental health. Further, savoring ability was positively associated with global and mental health. Our data did not support the proposed savoring–moderated associations of affect and self-rated global, physical, and mental health or the proposed age-moderated association of affect, savoring, and self-rated health outcomes. Despite the nonsignificant conditional models, this study sheds light on the unique relations of affect and savoring ability with several aspects of subjective health. Additionally, our findings highlight the need to promote positive affective experiences and the processes related to their regulation and enhancement, as these experiences seem to be positively associated with subjective health experiences.
