Age Differences in Coping Resources and Satisfaction With Life Among Middle-Aged,Young-Old,and Oldest-Old Adults

The authors examined age differences in perceived coping resources and satisfaction with life across 3 older-adult age groups (45-64, 65-74, and 75 years and older). The 98 participants represented healthy, socially active, community-residing adults. Group comparisons were made on 12 individual coping scales, and an overall coping resource effectiveness score was computed. No significant differences were found for 11 of the coping resources or for overall coping resource effectiveness. Similar consistencies in life satisfaction were found across the 3 age groups. The findings indicate that (a) for healthy adults, the oldest old cope at least as effectively as their younger counterparts, despite their likelihood of encountering increased levels of stress; and (b) psychologically, old age may be viewed as a time of resilience and fortitude.     

Age differences and similarities in the correlates of depressive symptoms

The authors investigated whether several life events or concerns were differentially related to depressive symptoms across 3 adult age groups (young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults). They examined the relationships of 2 measures of depressive symptoms to work status and satisfaction, relationship status and satisfaction, loneliness, recent losses, parenting strain, and caregiving. Some differences between age groups in these relationships were found. Yet, most results suggested that, although the frequency with which people experience specific life events or concerns varies across the adult life span, the relationships between these events or concerns and depressive symptoms are similar across age groups.     

The development of memory efficiency and value-directed remembering across the life span: a cross-sectional study of memory and selectivity

Although attentional control and memory change considerably across the life span, no research has examined how the ability to strategically remember important information (i.e., value-directed remembering) changes from childhood to old age. The present study examined this in different age groups across the life span (N = 320, 5-96 years old). A selectivity task was used in which participants were asked to study and recall items worth different point values in order to maximize their point score. This procedure allowed for measures of memory quantity/capacity (number of words recalled) and memory efficiency/selectivity (the recall of high-value items relative to low-value items). Age-related differences were found for memory capacity, as young adults recalled more words than the other groups. However, in terms of selectivity, younger and older adults were more selective than adolescents and children. The dissociation between these measures across the life span illustrates important age-related differences in terms of memory capacity and the ability to selectively remember high-value information.     

Coping Resources, Perceived Stress, and Life Satisfaction Among Turkish and American University Students

This study investigated coping resources (Coping Resources Inventory for Stress), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), and life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale) among American and Turkish university students. Results support the use of transactional stress constructs in studying life satisfaction with students in both countries. American and Turkish students did not differ significantly in regard to perceived stress, life satisfaction, or an overall measure of coping resources; however, they did differ significantly regarding specific coping resources. Variables entering regression models for predicting life satisfaction differed for students in the two countries and for the sexes within countries, and these models accounted for between 30% and 62% of variance. Social support and a sense of financial freedom were particularly useful in predicting life satisfaction. Coping resources accounted for 54% of variance in perceived stress. There were significant sex differences for both countries, generally favoring males, in regard to specific coping resources.     

"You're only as old as you feel": self-perceptions of age, fears of aging, and life satisfaction from adolescence to old age

We examined differences in subjective age identification from adolescence to old age and the relation between subjective age and fears about one's own aging and life satisfaction. Using a questionnaire format, 188 men and women from 14 to 83 years of age made judgments about how old they felt, looked, acted, and desired to be. Respondents also answered questions about their personal fears of aging and present life satisfaction. Results revealed that individuals in their teens held older subjective age identities, whereas during the early adult years, individuals maintained same age identities. Across the middle and later adult years, individuals reported younger age identities, and women experienced younger age identities than men across these adults years. Results also revealed that discrepancies between subjective and actual age were associated with personal fears of aging and life satisfaction, especially in younger men and women.     

Personality, coping, and coping effectiveness in an adult sample

Two studies of coping among community-dwelling adults (N= 255,151) were used to examine the influence of personality on coping responses, the perceived effectiveness of coping mechanisms, and the effects of coping and personality on well-being In both studies a wide range of potential stressors was examined, categorized as losses, threats, or challenges The personality dimensions of neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience, as measured by both self-reports and spouse- and peer-ratings, were systematically related to coping mechanisms in both studies There was general agreement across types of stressors on the use and perceived effectiveness of the 27 coping mechanisms, and individuals who used more effective ways of coping generally reported higher subsequent happiness and life satisfaction However, personality variables are also known to be determinants of well-being, and the associations between coping and well-being were reduced when personality measures were partialled out Some implications for the design and interpretation of coping effectiveness studies are discussed     

The effect of psychologists’ disclosure of personal religious background on prospective clients

The present study explored the relation of religious coping and spirituality to adjustment and psychological distress in urban early adolescents. The participants were 76 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students attending Catholic day schools in the New York City area. They completed a set of self-report measures assessing religious coping, daily spiritual experiences, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and psychological distress. Correlational and regression analyses found positive religious coping and daily spiritual experiences to be associated with positive affect and life satisfaction, while negative religious coping was associated with negative affect and psychological distress. The relations generally were more robust among males, and their overall robustness decreased with age. Implications of the findings for research and clinical practice are offered to address the gap (compared to adults) in the literature on youth religious coping.     

Links Between Stress, Positive and Negative Affect, and Life Satisfaction Among Teachers in Special Education Schools

This study focused on links between stress, positive and negative affect, and life satisfaction among teachers in special education schools. Teaching is a highly stressful profession, characterized by high rate of stress, burnout, and dropout. The study investigated: (a) whether teachers can maintain their positive affect and life satisfaction despite the stress they experience, and (b) the resources that may elicit positive affect and life satisfaction, including self-control as a personal skill and perceived organizational support (by peers, therapeutic staff, and manager) as an environmental resource. Participants were 125 teachers from 12 different special education schools. As expected, a positive link emerged between high stress levels and negative affect. Both self-control and organizational social support contributed to the explanation of positive affect and life satisfaction. Organizational support was found to moderate the link between stress and negative affect as well as the link between stress and positive affect and life satisfaction among teachers. The outcomes contributed both to the theoretical explanation about the role of resources in eliciting subjective well-being, happiness, and life satisfaction and also to the way teachers can be helped in daily coping with their difficulties.     

Existential Beliefs,Social Satisfaction,and Well-Being Among Catholic,Jewish, and Protestant Older Adults

Religiousness, spirituality, and existential beliefs are important sources of well-being yet neither their specific effects nor group variation in them is well understood. In a sample of more than 1,000 older adults, we found that certain existential beliefs or concerns (fear of God, death anxiety, belief in life after death, concerns about being mourned) are correlates of well-being in older adults and differed across religious groups. Protestants reported better well-being than Catholics and Jews. Differences in social satisfaction and existential concerns partially explained these differences, which were not explained by demographics. These results suggest the importance of studying well-being and religion in a way that appreciates the differences among religious groups and further of looking at the specific beliefs of different groups.     

Effects of Prolongea Isolation in Extreme Environments on Stress,Coping, and Depression1

This influence of prolongea isolation in an extreme environment on depressive symptoms, personality, and coping resources was examined in 121 members of the United States Antarctic Program in 1988–1989. Subjects were followed for a 1-year period in Antarctica. Winter-over personnel experienced an increase in depressive symptoms, avoidance as a coping method, and emotional discharge as a coping resource from baseline (T₀) to Year-1 (T₁). At T₀, education, negative life events, job-related stress, low self-confidence, active cognitive and behavioral coping methods, and low satisfaction with social support were independent predictors of depressive symptoms. At T₁, negative life events, low self-confidence, active behavioral and avoidance coping methods, affective regulation as a coping resource, and low satisfaction with social support were independent predictors of depressive symptoms. However, with the exception of T₀ depressive symptoms, none of the social and demographic characteristics and T₀ psychosocial measures predicted T₁ depressive symptoms. The results of this study support the hypothesis that coping may be more strongly associated with environmental conditions that influence severity of stressor and availability of coping resources than with more remote and stable background factors.     

Resource loss, resource gain, and depressive symptoms: a 10-year model.

This study examined a broadened conceptualization of the stress and coping process that incorporated a more dynamic approach to understanding the role of psychosocial resources in 326 adults studied over a 10-year period. Resource loss across 10 years was significantly associated with an increase in depressive symptoms, whereas resource gain across 10 years was significantly associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. In addition, change in the preponderance of negative over positive events across 10 years was inversely associated with change in resources during the period. Finally, in an integrative structural equation model, the association between change in life events and depressive symptoms at follow-up was completely mediated through resource change.     

Vocational Concerns of Elementary Teachers: Stress,Job Satisfaction,and Occupational Commitment

This study examines the vocational concerns of 185 elementary teachers. Participants were classified based on their perceptions of the magnitude of their classroom demands and resources. These groupings were then examined for differences in teachers' personal coping resources, job satisfaction, and occupational commitment. Results indicated that teachers classified as perceiving high classroom demand vis‐à‐vis classroom resources reported lower personal coping resources, less job satisfaction, and more plans to leave their current job.     

Age and Gender Differences in Adaptation and Subjective Well-being of Older Adults Residing in Monastic Religious Communities

The purpose of this study was to explore age and gender differences in the adaptation and well-being of older adults residing in Catholic monasteries. Participants included 235 members, age 64 and older, from the Order of St. Benedict. 2 (Age) × 2 (Gender) analyses of variance were computed to determine significant differences. Young-old persons reported greater friendship, coping behaviors, and personal growth, however, old-old individuals reported greater engagement in religious coping and greater depression. In addition, women reported greater coping behaviors, life satisfaction, and personal growth, but men reported greater depression. The results have implications on how pastoral care providers and counselors can improve quality of life among older adults living in contemplative religious settings.     

Age,culture, and loneliness among czechs and canadians

The present study examined the influence of cultural background on the experience of loneliness. One hundred and ninety-four Canadians and 209 participants from the Czech Republic formed the subject pool. Rather than compare the two populations and disregard the within and between age differences, the cultural groups were divided into age subgroups. These were young adults (18–30 years old), adults (31–59) and seniors (60–89). They answered a 30-item yes/no questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of five subscales, namely. Emotional Distress, Social Inadequacy and Alienation, Growth and Discovery, Interpersonal Isolation, and Self-Alienation. Results indicated that overall, the cultural groups differed in their experiences of loneliness. Further, when each age group was compared across the two cultures, it was evident that the age groups scored significantly differently from its counterparts in the other culture. Scores of different age groups within cultures were also examined. This study was supported by York University's Grant # 496055     

Age, culture, and loneliness among czechs and canadians

The present study examined the influence of cultural background on the experience of loneliness. One hundred and ninety-four Canadians and 209 participants from the Czech Republic formed the subject pool. Rather than compare the two populations and disregard the within and between age differences, the cultural groups were divided into age subgroups. These were young adults (18–30 years old), adults (31–59) and seniors (60–89). They answered a 30-item yes/no questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed of five subscales, namely. Emotional Distress, Social Inadequacy and Alienation, Growth and Discovery, Interpersonal Isolation, and Self-Alienation. Results indicated that overall, the cultural groups differed in their experiences of loneliness. Further, when each age group was compared across the two cultures, it was evident that the age groups scored significantly differently from its counterparts in the other culture. Scores of different age groups within cultures were also examined. This study was supported by York University's Grant # 496055     

Domain-Based and Overall Life Satisfaction for Youth with Chronic Conditions: The Role of Personal,Interpersonal, and Environmental Factors Over a One-Year Period

This paper examined the differential influences of personal, interpersonal, and environmental level factors on domain-based and overall life satisfaction over one year for youth with chronic health conditions. Baseline and Time 2 follow-up data were used from a study examining quality of life for a sample of 439 youth with chronic conditions, aged 11 to 17 years. The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale measured youths’ life satisfaction in five domains (i.e., satisfaction with self, family life, friendships, school experiences, where one lives) and in overall life. Six multivariate linear regression analyses were performed, each exploring relations of the hypothesized correlates at baseline with one aspect of life satisfaction at follow-up controlling for youth gender, age, household income, and the corresponding aspect of life satisfaction at baseline. Factors at all three levels were found to be important to some aspect of life satisfaction. Emotional well-being played a notable role in life satisfaction across multiple domains and in overall life satisfaction. Family-related factors were also significantly related to life satisfaction across several domains. Social support from close friends and teachers and the school environment were important to specific domains of life satisfaction. Classmate social support emerged as a key factor related to overall life satisfaction. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.     

Early and Late Life Exposure to Trauma and Biopsychosocial Well-Being in Centenarians

Few studies have investigated the proximal versus distal influence of traumatic life events (TLE) on biopsychosocial resources of very old adults. The Developmental Adaptation Model was used to test TLE experienced before and after the age of 60 on outcomes of centenarians’ physical disability, perceived health impairments, depressive symptoms, and social support. Cross-sectional data were collected from 154 community-dwelling centenarians. Results indicated that TLE in the latter half of life were positively associated with health impairments and depressive symptoms. The present results emphasize the importance of a process-oriented approach to resilience that allows flexibility in successful coping across the lifespan.     

Satisfaction with life in individuals with a lower limb amputation: The importance of active coping and acceptance

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between sociodemographic/clinical characteristics, coping strategies and satisfaction with life in individuals with lower limb amputation. Sixty‐three individuals with a lower limb amputation due to Diabetes and Peripheral Vascular Disease participated in the study and answered measures of coping strategies and satisfaction with life. Findings revealed high dissatisfaction with life. Acceptance and active coping were the most used coping strategies. Satisfaction with life was positively associated with active and planning coping, religion, acceptance and humour. There were differences in coping strategies according to gender, age, marital status, presence of residual limb pain, prosthesis use and mobility level. Results emphasize the differential role of coping strategies, for each individual. Psychosocial interventions need to take into consideration coping strategies during the process of rehabilitation and be specific regarding individuals` sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. This study may help design interventions that answer individuals with lower limb amputations given that coping strategies are a valuable resource in the promotion of satisfaction with life.     

Sense of coherence,resilience, and habitual optimism in cancer patients

Background/ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate whether the three resource variables sense of coherence, resilience, and dispositional optimism become impaired when people are ill with cancer, whether there are sex and age differences in these variables, and how these variables are associated with quality of life (QoL).MethodA sample of 1108 patients with mixed cancer diagnoses were examined using the Sense of Coherence Scale-3 (SOC-3), the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), and the QoL questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30.ResultsThe three resource variables showed somewhat lower levels in the patients’ sample in comparison with general population controls, with effect sizes between ?0.10 and ?0.23. While there were only small sex differences in the resource variables, significant age differences were found in these variables, with stronger detriments in younger patients. The correlations among the resource variables ranged between .53 and .61. Sense of coherence was more strongly correlated with QoL than resilience and optimism.ConclusionsCancer patients with low levels of personal resources adapt to their disease more poorly than patients with high levels. In addition to limitations in QoL, health care professionals should also consider patients’ resources for coping with the disease. Special attention should be given to young cancer patients.     

Psychological Hardiness and Adjustment to Life Events in Adulthood

Data were collected from 88 persons who had lost their jobs and 227 persons whose youngest child had left home to explore the impact of psychological hardiness on personal distress, adjustment, and coping strategies. Analyses controlling for numerous sociodemographic factors as well as NEO Neuroticism and Extroversion suggested that the interaction between overall hardiness and the experience of differential life events influenced the use of planful problem solving and positive reappraisal as coping mechanisms, as well as influencing levels of positive affect. In addition, a main effect for overall hardiness on several coping strategies, positive affect, and life satisfaction was obtained. Findings also suggested that job loss was a more stressful experience for adults in this study than was the empty nest. These data indicate that hardiness may mediate responses to life events that differ in terms of their predictability and anticipatory nature.