ORIGINAL PAPER
The relationship between meaning in life and resilience in older adults: a cross-sectional study
| 1 | Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran |
| 2 | HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran |
| 3 | Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran |
| 4 | Department of Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran |
| 5 | Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran |
Submission date: 2019-04-20
Final revision date: 2019-05-06
Acceptance date: 2019-05-14
Online publication date: 2019-06-05
Publication date: 2019-06-04
Health Psychology Report 2019;7(2):133–138
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Meaning in life has been considered necessary for the psychological well-being of older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between meaning in life and resilience in the elderly in Kerman, Iran.
Participants and procedure:
In this cross-sectional study, 300 older adults (aged more than 60 years) were included using the multistage sampling method in Kerman in 2018. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was used to investigate the resilience status, and for as-sessing meaning of life, Steger’s meaning in life questionnaire was employed. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, chi-square, t-test, ANOVA and linear regression by IBM SPSS V21.
Results:
The mean age of participants was 67.3 ±7.9 years. Resilience status was significantly different in terms of gender (p = .021), educational status (p = .032), and self-reported health status (p = .003). There was a significant positive relationship between meaning in life and resilience (r = .38, p = .012). Independent variables (meaning in life, self-reported health status, gender) accounted for 31% of the variance in resilience (p ≤ .001).
Conclusions:
Considering meaning in life and resilience in older adults helps to improve psychological health and wellness and create a unique potential ability to confront the pitfalls of old age, which result in better physical, mental, social, and spiritual health in older adults.
Meaning in life has been considered necessary for the psychological well-being of older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between meaning in life and resilience in the elderly in Kerman, Iran.
Participants and procedure:
In this cross-sectional study, 300 older adults (aged more than 60 years) were included using the multistage sampling method in Kerman in 2018. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was used to investigate the resilience status, and for as-sessing meaning of life, Steger’s meaning in life questionnaire was employed. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, chi-square, t-test, ANOVA and linear regression by IBM SPSS V21.
Results:
The mean age of participants was 67.3 ±7.9 years. Resilience status was significantly different in terms of gender (p = .021), educational status (p = .032), and self-reported health status (p = .003). There was a significant positive relationship between meaning in life and resilience (r = .38, p = .012). Independent variables (meaning in life, self-reported health status, gender) accounted for 31% of the variance in resilience (p ≤ .001).
Conclusions:
Considering meaning in life and resilience in older adults helps to improve psychological health and wellness and create a unique potential ability to confront the pitfalls of old age, which result in better physical, mental, social, and spiritual health in older adults.
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