Relationships of Sources of Meaning and Resilience With Meaningfulness and Satisfaction With Life: A Population-Based Study of Norwegians in Late Adulthood

The Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life (SoMe) questionnaire in Finnish: Sociodemographic findings of meaningfulness and crisis of meaning in the Finnish context

BACKGROUND

Psychological research about meaningfulness is concerned with a subjective sense of meaning of one's own life, that is, meaning in life. Empirical research in this field is attracting interest, as meaning in life has wide-ranging positive implications for mental health and well-being.

AIM

The aim of this article is to test the validity of the Finnish translation of the Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life (SoMe) questionnaire. In the article, meaningfulness and crisis of meaning are correlated with sources of meaning, and results are compared with other validation studies in Norway, Denmark, and Brazil as well as with the original German questionnaire.

METHODS

To meet our aim, 551 participants were recruited to answer the Finnish questionnaire. The internal and construct validity of the Finnish questionnaire were tested with reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and analysis of intercorrelations of items in the questionnaire.

RESULTS

The analysis demonstrated similar reliability to other validation studies of the questionnaire and results highly comparable to the Norwegian study regarding the internal structure of the questionnaire. Results of intercorrelations of items within the questionnaire were also comparable to the other validation studies.

The aging mind: A complex challenge for research and practice

Cognitive decline as part of mental ageing is typically assessed with standardized tests; below-average performance in such tests is used as an indicator for pathological cognitive aging. In addition, morphological and functional changes in the brain are used as parameters for age-related pathological decline in cognitive abilities. However, there is no simple link between the trajectories of changes in cognition and morphological or functional changes in the brain. Furthermore, below-average test performance does not necessarily mean a significant impairment in everyday activities. It therefore appears crucial to record individual everyday tasks and their cognitive (and other) requirements in functional terms. This would also allow reliable assessment of the ecological validity of existing and insufficient cognitive skills. Understanding and dealing with the phenomena and consequences of mental aging does of course not only depend on cognition. Motivation and emotions as well personal meaning of life and life satisfaction play an equally important role. This means, however, that cognition represents only one, albeit important, aspect of mental aging. Furthermore, creating and development of proper assessment tools for functional cognition is important. In this contribution we would like to discuss some aspects that we consider relevant for a holistic view of the aging mind and promote a strengthening of a multidisciplinary approach with close cooperation between all basic and applied sciences involved in aging research, a quick translation of the research results into practice, and a close cooperation between all disciplines and professions who advise and support older people.

Perceived stress and life satisfaction among elderly migrants in China: A moderated mediation model

Objective

Our study aims to test whether anxiety mediated the association between perceived stress and life satisfaction and whether the mediating effect was moderated by resilience among elderly migrants in China.

Methods

We used self-reported data collected from 654 elderly migrants in Nanjing. Regression analyses using bootstrapping methods were conducted to explore the mediating and moderating effects.

Results

The results showed that anxiety mediated the relationship between perceived stress and life satisfaction (indirect effect = -0.040, CI [-0.066, -0.017]). Moreover, moderated mediated analysis indicated that resilience moderated the path between anxiety and life satisfaction (moderating effect = 0.034, 95% CI [0.021, 0.048]). In particular, anxiety had a negative impact on life satisfaction only for Chinese elderly migrants with lower resilience.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that perceived stress could reduce life satisfaction among elderly migrants as their anxiety levels increase. Fortunately, elderly migrants' resilience could undermine this negative effect.

Significance of Self-Transcendence for Rehabilitation and Relapse Prevention among Patients with Substance Use Disorder: A Qualitative Study

A complex variety of restrictive and promoting factors are in play when people with substance use disorder face challenges concerning rehabilitation and relapse prevention. Self-transcendence sources are strongly associated with meaningfulness, and meaningfulness is found to be associated with less alcohol and drug use severity and relapse prevention. The aim of the present qualitative study was to investigate self-transcendence among patients with substance use disorders and to discuss its significance for treatment and relapse prevention. An exploratory qualitative research design was employed, with individual interviews in a strategic sample of four patients with substance use disorder recruited from a religiously founded rehabilitation clinic in Southeast Norway. The transcribed material was analysed through systematic text condensation. A search for objects beyond immediate needs through self-transcendence was revealed, related to generativity and an unselfish prosocial commitment to family and the surroundings, strengthening the participants’ self-efficacy, confidence, and safety. Spirituality and confidence in a higher power or destiny generated order in life. The use of rituals contributed to tranquillity. Values gave new directions, and private confession helped to start over in life. For patients in rehabilitation aiming at relapse prevention, self-transcendence seems to be significant as part of the recovery process. Possible implications for rehabilitation and relapse prevention are discussed.

Existential Issues in Old Age as Narrated by Older People—An Interview Study from Norway

Background: Research about the importance of existential issues and individuals’ responses to them in old age is growing. This study aimed to explore older Norwegians’ thoughts and experiences related to existential issues and whether or not they wanted to talk about existential concerns with others. The theoretical framework includes Yalom’s ultimate concerns and Tornstam’s theory of gerotranscendence. Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven home-dwelling older persons, five men and six women aged 73–91 years, all residing in a larger Norwegian town. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Four main themes and two subthemes regarding the participants’ existential reflections emerged concerning loneliness, death, and meaning. Some participants increased their interest in existential issues in old age, and only a few participants desired deeper conversations about existential issues. Conclusions: The participants were mostly satisfied with life, mainly did not feel lonely and were not afraid of death. Existential meaning was experienced on a horizontal level rather than a transcendent level. Although few openly wanted existential conversations, most participants conveyed a positive interview experience, suggesting that if existential conversations were offered, they would be valuable to older people.