Wellbeing and Emotions in Older Adults: An Investigation at the Permanent University of Adults in Alicante (Spain (original) (raw)
Related papers
Subjective and psychological well-being among elderly participants of a University of the Third Age
Revista Brasileira de Geriatria e Gerontologia
Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the distribution of measures of subjective and psychological well-being according to demographic criteria and length of participation in the program. Method: A cross sectional study using the following instruments was carried out: a sociodemographic questionnaire (age, gender, education, length of participation in University of the Third Age (U3A) and similar programs located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil; an Overall Life Satisfaction Scale; a Life Satisfaction Scale that contemplated four domains: health, physical capacity, mental capacity and social involvement; a Positive/Negative Affect Scale; and a Personal Development Scale. The data were analyzed by the chi-squared test (for comparison of categorical variables), the Mann-Whitney and the Kruskal-Wallis U tests (for comparison of continuous variables). Results: Age and gender were the main factors that were significantly associated with overall life satisfaction, life satisfactio...
Correlates of Happiness Among Older Spanish Institutionalised and Non-Institutionalised Adults
Journal of Happiness Studies, 2012
The overall objective of this study was to explore the current (i.e., at the time of the study) and past (i.e., over their lifetimes) happiness of 65-year-old and older men and women who had different personal and socio-demographic characteristics. We also investigated the role of affect balance and life satisfaction as sources of participants' subjective well-being, as well as the contribution of other psychosocial variables, including self-efficacy, optimism, health and quality of life, stress, social support and leisure, and of socio-demographic conditions. Further, we examined the influence of institutionalisation on happiness and on the aforementioned psychosocial variables. Participants voluntarily completed self-reports regarding all of these variables. Participants' current happiness (M = 6.6 on a 0-10 scale) was significantly lower than their past happiness (M = 7.7). The happiness of the institutionalised participants did not differ from that of the noninstitutionalised participants, although significant differences were found for a number of psychosocial variables. Affect balance and life satisfaction were significant correlates and predictors of current happiness, which was also associated with many psychosocial variables and was further predicted by past happiness, health indicators and some life dimensions assessed as perceived sources of one's own happiness, such as a sense of autonomy and independence. Our results highlight the importance of establishing both happiness and its correlates to develop interventions aimed at promoting subjective wellbeing in older people, given that, compared to earlier periods in life, happiness may be reduced in late adulthood.
Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the distribution of measures of subjective and psychological well-being according to demographic criteria and length of participation in the program. Method: A cross sectional study using the following instruments was carried out: a sociodemographic questionnaire (age, gender, education, length of participation in University of the Third Age (U3A) and similar programs located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil; an Overall Life Satisfaction Scale; a Life Satisfaction Scale that contemplated four domains: health, physical capacity, mental capacity and social involvement; a Positive/ Negative Affect Scale; and a Personal Development Scale. The data were analyzed by the chi-squared test (for comparison of categorical variables), the Mann-Whitney and the Kruskal-Wallis U tests (for comparison of continuous variables). Results: Age and gender were the main factors that were significantly associated with overall life satisfaction, life satisfaction in specific domains, and morale. Higher education was associated with psychological adjustment. Conclusion: Participating in a U3A contributes to high levels of subjective and psychological well-being. Elderly individuals of more advanced ages and men had higher rates of satisfaction with life and positive feelings. The elderly can assess their development trajectory, their commitment to society and consider their efforts in pursuing an ideal of personal excellence.
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2009
Subjective well-being is a major psychological construct in the research tradition. Along with literature, authors have distinguished between hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. The aim of this study is to determine the role of some psychosocial variables plays in the perceived well-being is conceived from a hedonic or a eudaimonic perspective. The sample consisted of 1016 people of 55 years and older in a Spanish sample and 277 people of 55 years old or older from a Costa Rican sample. Both samples were part of the Longitudinal Older Learners (LOL) study. A structural model with latent variables was estimated with Mplus. The results point out that, the traditional variables included on successful aging models are relevant for explaining older adults' well-being in both countries with some differences on the hedonic and eudaimonic approach of successful aging on the Latin cultural context studied.
Subjective Well-being at Old Ages: Does Educational Background Matter?
ACSS2019 Official Conference Proceedings, 2019
Given the trend of demographic transition and population ageing around the world, improving the welfare of older persons has become a key policy issue. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between education and subjective well-being in terms of two affective factors (degree of happiness and loneliness) in later life of Vietnamese. The study employed Vietnam National Ageing Survey 2011, which is the first nationally representative survey of older persons in Vietnam. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that education has a strong positive relationship with happiness and loneliness. In other words, older persons with higher education tend to be happier and less lonely. Other factors, such as gender, marital status, region lived in the most, being member of a poor household, feeling there is sufficient income or material support, total number of daughters, living arrangement, difficulty in daily life activities, and self-rated health compared to other older persons, have strong relationship with these two types of subjective well-being. On the other hand, age group, religion, working status, providing financial support to kin or relatives, being member of Vietnamese Elderly Association, total numbers of sons, place of residence, and having grandchild show insignificant relationship with subjective wellbeing amongst older persons.
The Personal Wellbeing among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Spain and Associated Factors
Objective: conceptual framework of Quality of Life (QoL) allows approaching the knowledge of the living conditions of people in order to help establishing policies for QoL improvement. study is aimed at examining the assessment made by older adults on their personal wellbeing and the satisfaction with life and the associated factors. A summary of the psychometric properties of the measurement instrument was also presented. Method: data came from the Ageing in Spain Longitudinal Study, Pilot Survey (ELES-PS), carried out in 2011 among people 50 years old or more living in family housing in Spain. Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI), as a multidimensional measure of QoL, was used to evaluate the subjective wellbeing. Personal, social and residential characteristics were considered as independent variables. Descriptive statistical analysis, ANOVA, correlation, factor and regression analyses were applied. Results and conclusions: PWI had good psychometric properties and showed the convergent validity with satisfaction with life as a whole (SWLW). Unidimensional structure of the scale was also demonstrated. PWI and SWLW total scores reached 74.5%SM and 77.1%SM, respectively best rated life domains were the satisfaction with relationships, safety and feeling part of the community. SWLW observed rences in gender categories while PWI within age and social status. 68 | JSRP 2 | JSRP Both scales were associated with marital status, educational level, household size, current activity status and social status. regression model of the PWI explained 34.2% of the variance through factors on socio-demographic and economic resources, psychosocial, health/functioning, family and social networks, leisure and residential environment. Based on these results, it would be desirable to deepen on this line from a longitudinal perspective to detect the of the changing conditions of the aged people in their personal well-being and life satisfaction.
Predictors of Wellbeing Among Older Adults Participants of a U3A
Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 2021
This study aimed to identify predictive factors for subjective and psychological well-being in a sample of 265 older adults enrolled in the University of the Third Age (U3A). The scales used were: General Satisfaction with Life Scale and referenced to the domains, Positive and Negative Affect Scale and Personal Development Scale. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that being 70 or older and male was associated with the subjective well-being and having higher education level was associated with psychological well-being. It was concluded that sociodemographic characteristics of the interviewed elders enrolled in U3A can be important attributes that influence well-being.
Successful aging: a cross-national study of subjective well-being later in life
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics, 2013
This paper aims to identify and analyze the life course and contextual factors that influence the subjective well-being (SWB) of individuals over 60 years of age. Our research is based on the results of the 5 th wave of the World Value Survey. We have investigated the level of SWB for older people at both the individual and country level. The results of our research demonstrate that the strongest predictors of SWB later in life are satisfaction with one's financial state, health, and a sense of control, meaning the belief that individuals are in control of their lives. Besides this, the important factors of SWB for older people are the ability to establish and maintain friendly relations with other people, such as family members and friends, and to invest their own resources in positive emotions and important relationships for themselves. Older people from excommunist countries have the lowest level of SWB. Older people from English-speaking countries, such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, have, by contrast, the highest level of SWB. These results suggest that the degree of modernization influences SWB levels very strongly. For older people, the country in which they live, the level of democracy, GDP per capita, freedom, and tolerance are very important. In contemporary society, the later period of life is a time for self-realization, new activities, new leisure, and new emotions. If society understands the needs of older people and provides opportunities for their realization, society can overcome the challenges caused by population aging. Only then can we discuss the concept of 'successful aging'.
Successful aging in Spanish older adults: the role of psychosocial resources
International psychogeriatrics, 2018
ABSTRACTBackground:Psychological and social resources such as extraversion, optimism, social support, or social networks contribute to adaptation and to successful aging. Building on assumptions derived from successful aging and from the developmental adaptation models, this study aims to analyze the joint impact of different psychosocial resources, such as personality, social relations, health, and socio-demographic characteristics on life satisfaction in a group of people aged 65 years-old and older from Spain. A cross-sectional survey using non-proportional quota sampling was carried out. The sample comprised 406 community-dwelling older adults (M = 74.88, SD = 6.75). In order to collect the data, face-to-face interviews were individually conducted. A structural equation model (SEM) was carried out using the PLS software. The results of the SEM model showed that, within this sample, psychosocial variables explain 47.4% of the variance in life satisfaction. Social relations and pe...