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Kagan M, Zychlinski E, Greenblatt-Kimron L. The mediating roles of optimism, loneliness, and psychological distress in the association between a sense of community and meaning in life among older adults. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 73:419-430. [PMID: 37898970 DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
A sense of community is known to be a protective factor for the well-being of older adults and meaning in life associated with positive mental outcomes. Nevertheless, there is a need to expand the knowledge of the role of a sense of community in meaning in life, particularly among older adults. Intending to broaden the empirical understanding from this perspective, the current study examined the mediating roles of optimism, loneliness, and psychological distress in the association between a sense of community and meaning in life. Participants included 740 community dwelling Israeli older adults (M = 71.96; SD = 5.81). Participants completed questionnaires on a sense of community, optimism, loneliness, psychological distress, meaning in life, and sociodemographic characteristics. A positive association was found between a sense of community with optimism, and a negative association with loneliness. A negative association between optimism with psychological distress and a positive link between loneliness with psychological distress was found, while a higher level of psychological distress was associated with a lower level of meaning in life. Practitioners should focus interventions with older adults on developing a sense of community, with the aim to promote optimism and, at the same time, reduce loneliness and thus decrease psychological distress while strengthening meaning in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Kagan
- School of Social Work, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
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Kim C, Chun J. "Meaning in Life" Mediates the Relationship between Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Healthcare (Basel) 2024; 12:584. [PMID: 38470695 PMCID: PMC10930687 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12050584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness was found to be a commonly experienced feeling among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and is considered to be a high-risk factor for depressive symptoms. Maintaining meaning in life has been found to be a protective resource for mental health among older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of an individual's meaning in life in the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms among older Korean adults. METHODS The data were obtained from a sample of 213 community-dwelling older adults aged over 65. The instruments were the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. RESULTS Loneliness was positively associated with depressive symptoms and negatively associated with the presence of and search for meaning among older adults. The presence of meaning mediated the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms but the search for meaning did not. The search for meaning mediated the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms through the presence of meaning. CONCLUSIONS Our study findings suggest that efforts to reduce loneliness and improve meaning in life should be undertaken to prevent depressive symptoms among older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanhee Kim
- Department of Nursing, Changwon National University, 20 Changwondaehak-ro, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si 51140, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jiyoung Chun
- College of Nursing, Sahmyook University, Seoul 01795, Republic of Korea
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Coelho A, Lopes M, Barata M, Sousa S, Goes M, Bia F, Dias A, João A, Lusquinhos L, Oliveira H, Gaspar T. Biopsychosocial Factors That Influence the Purpose in Life among Working Adults and Retirees. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:ijerph20085456. [PMID: 37107738 PMCID: PMC10138867 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20085456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify and characterize biopsychosocial factors that impact the purpose in life (PIL) among adults that are working or already retired. This cross-sectional study includes a sample of 1330 participants, of whom 62.2% were female, with ages ranging from 55 and 84 years, with a mean of 61.93 years and a standard deviation of 7.65. Results suggest that the education level, stress, spirituality (religion) and optimism, social support from friends, and quality of life related to physical health seem to contribute positively to the PIL for both groups. However, some variables such as age, marital status and environmental quality of life help explain the PIL of retired people and the quality of life related to social support helps explain the PIL of working adults. Overall, the reported findings suggest that the purpose in life is strongly related to physical, psychological, social and environmental health factors. It is highlighted that working adults and retired people have their purpose in life related to similar factors and others specific to each life stage, suggesting the need for crucial interventions to promote a healthier and more positive aging process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anabela Coelho
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem São João de Deus, Universidade de Évora, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
- H&TRC-Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL-Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 1549-020 Lisboa, Portugal
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1099-085 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Manuel Lopes
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem São João de Deus, Universidade de Évora, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
| | - Marta Barata
- Aventura Social Associação, Universidade Lusófona/SPIC, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sofia Sousa
- Aventura Social Associação, Universidade Lusófona/SPIC, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Margarida Goes
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem São João de Deus, Universidade de Évora, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
| | - Florbela Bia
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem São João de Deus, Universidade de Évora, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
- Center for Interdisciplinary Heath Reseach (CIIS), Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 1649-023 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Dias
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem São João de Deus, Universidade de Évora, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
| | - Ana João
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem São João de Deus, Universidade de Évora, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
| | - Leonel Lusquinhos
- Escola Superior de Enfermagem São João de Deus, Universidade de Évora, 7000-811 Évora, Portugal
| | - Henrique Oliveira
- Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT-Lisboa), 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto Politécnico de Beja, 1049-001 Beja, Portugal
| | - Tânia Gaspar
- Hei-Lab, ISAMB, Universidade Lusófona, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
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