Grasping the factors that shape self-rated health (SRH), also known as subjective health, is critically important, given its strong association with objective health outcomes and mortality risk. Extensive prior research has explored the correlates, precursors, and potential drivers of SRH, typically assessed at a single point in time or as an outcome measure. In this investigation, we assess whether personal mastery—a key measure of personal agency—exerts a beneficial influence on SRH across an extended period of the adult life course. Using longitudinal data from the Youth Development Study (n = 741), we analyze the effects of mastery on SRH across 24 years (spanning ages 21–22 to 45–46). Results from fixed effects regression, which account for time-varying factors such as educational attainment, unemployment experiences, age, obesity, serious medical diagnoses, and time-invariant individual characteristics, indicate that mastery consistently predicts SRH positively from early adulthood through midlife. These findings demonstrate that psychological resources shape people's subjective evaluations of their health, independent of objective physical health measures and socioeconomic factors.
