scholarly journals Social participation and life satisfaction among older adults: diversity of practices and social inequality in Switzerland

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Marie Baeriswyl ◽  
Michel Oris

Abstract This paper examines the associations between social participation and individual life satisfaction among older adults. It specifically considers the diversity of the practices and social inequalities among this population. For analyses, we used a large survey of individuals of 65 years and older conducted in 2011 in Switzerland (N = 2,727). The first set of linear regression analyses examines Diener's Satisfaction with Life Scale and its association with various indicators of social participation. While the second set of logistic regression addresses the issue of social inequalities by evaluating the impacts of gender, age group, region and education on social participation indicators that are significantly associated with the satisfaction with life score. Our results stressed the importance of combining multiple forms of participation for life satisfaction and shows that some forms are particularly meaningful: in particular, the involvement in associations, visitation of family or visitation of friends/acquaintances and church attendance. When inequalities among older adults are considered, having rich and varied social participation, being involved in associations and maintaining private sociability with non-kin appear more elitist. While institutionalised and/or private sociability types of participation appear particularly significant for older adults’ life satisfaction, the most traditional integration forms – i.e. family and religions – are crucial for the more vulnerable. Implications for active ageing was equally discussed as well.

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veljko Jovanović

Abstract. The present research aimed at examining measurement invariance of the Serbian version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) across age, gender, and time. A total sample in Study 1 consisted of 2,595 participants from Serbia, with a mean age of 23.79 years (age range: 14–55 years). The final sample in Study 2 included 333 Serbian undergraduate students ( Mage = 20.81; age range: 20–27 years), who completed the SWLS over periods of 6 and 18 months after the initial assessment. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the modified unidimensional model of the SWLS, with correlated residuals of items 4 and 5 tapping past satisfaction. The results of the multigroup confirmatory factor analysis supported the full scalar invariance across gender and over time and partial scalar invariance across age. Latent mean comparisons revealed that women reported higher life satisfaction than men. Additionally, adolescents reported higher life satisfaction than students and adults, with adults showing the lowest life satisfaction. Our findings indicate that the SWLS allows meaningful comparisons in life satisfaction across age, gender, and over time.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alma M. L. Au ◽  
Stephen C. Y. Chan ◽  
H. M. Yip ◽  
Jackie Y. C. Kwok ◽  
K. Y. Lai ◽  
...  

Age-friendliness, promoted by the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to enable and support individuals in different aspects of life for fostering life satisfaction and personal well-being as they age. We identified specific aspect(s) of age-friendliness associated with life satisfaction and examined similarities and differences in age-friendliness and life satisfaction in young-old and old-old adults. Six hundred and eighty-two ageing adults were asked to complete a survey questionnaire consisting of the Age-friendly City Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and sociodemographic variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of various domains of age-friendliness on life satisfaction among the young-old adults (aged 65 to 74, n=351) and the old-old adults (aged 75 to 97, n=331). Common domains associated with life satisfaction in both young-old and old-old groups were transportation and social participation. Community and health services were associated with life satisfaction for the young-old group only. On the other hand, civic participation and employment was significantly associated with the old-old group only. Social participation is important for the young-old and the old-old. Ageing older adults can be a resource to the society. Implications for promoting and implementing age-friendliness were discussed in the context of successful and productive ageing and the need for a more refined taxonomy of social activities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia von Humboldt ◽  
Isabel Leal

Objectives: Literature suggests some inconsistent results in the validity and reliability of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SwLS) in older samples. The objective was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SwLS in a cross-cultural sample of older adults.Methods: This is a validation study to assess the psychometric properties of the SWLS in a sample of 1291 older adults 75 years of age or older, cross-culturally diverse and living in the community. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed. Item analysis and reliability, were also assessed.Results: The systematic procedure used in the SwLS validation points to a good level of psychometric properties, such as reliability, construct, criterion validity, external validity and divergent criterion validity, suggesting that the SwL is assessing a construct different from the ones evaluated by PANAS and OtLQ.Conclusion: The SwLS has demonstrated reliability, validity, and reproducibility for use in measuring health-related satisfaction with life among older adults in policy programs and interventions in community settings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eka Septarianda ◽  
Mohammad Nursalim Malay ◽  
Khoiriyah Ulfah

ABSTRACT: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORGIVENESS AND SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING AMONG ORPHANAGE ADOLESCENTSThis study aims to determine the relationship between forgiveness and subjective well-being in adolescents who are in the orphanage, through the three components contained in it, i.e. life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect. The subjects of this study were 58 adolescents in the Budi Mulya Muhammadiyah Sukarame orphanage. Data collection method using three scales, those are Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and Possitive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The data analysis technique used is the product moment correlation. The results of the analysis of this study explain that there is a positive relationship between forgiveness and subjective well-being through the three components in SWB. The results of this study have implications about the importance of forgiveness in increasing subjective well being in orphanage adolescent.Keywords: Forgiveness, Subjective Well-Being, Orphanage AdolescentPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan forgiveness dengan subjective well-being pada remaja yang berada di panti asuhan, melalui tiga komponen yang terdapat di dalamnya, yaitu life satisfaction, positive affect dan negative affect. Subjek penelitian ini adalah 58 remaja panti asuhan Budi Mulya Muhammadiyah Sukarame. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan tiga skala, yaitu Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) dan Possitive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Data dianalisis dengan korelasi product moment. Hasil penelitian ini menerangkan bahwa terdapat hubungan yang positif antara forgiveness dengan subjective well-being melalui tiga komponen dalam SWB. Hasil penelitian ini memberi implikasi tentang pentingnya forgiveness dalam meningkatkan subjective well being pada remaja dipanti asuhan.Kata Kunci: Forgiveness, Subjective Well Being, Remaja Panti Asuhan 


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naveed Shibli ◽  
Iram Mumtaz

<p>Rescuers jobs are important because these are related with own and others lives. The present study was conducted to study that how burnout levels are related with rescuers and their jobs? Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, Self-efficacy scale and the satisfaction with life scale were administered to 120 male rescuers working in a government department serving against various positions. It was found that self-efficacy was significantly correlated with life satisfaction (<i>r</i>= .45, <i>p</i>< .01) among rescuers. Moreover it was found that self-efficacy and life satisfaction were negatively correlated with burnout (<i>r</i>= -.71, <i>p</i>< .01), (<i>r</i>= -.56, <i>p</i>< .01). Some important demographic findings regarding age, assignment and education also emerged. Cross-cultural studies recommended. </p>


PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11432
Author(s):  
Danilo Garcia ◽  
Ali Al Nima ◽  
Maryam Kazemitabar ◽  
Clara Amato ◽  
Franco Lucchese ◽  
...  

Background Health assessment among individuals with mental health problems often involves measures of ill-being (e.g., anxiety, depression). Health is, however, defined as a state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease (WHO, 1948, 2001). Hence, in order to address mental illness during the 21st century, we need to develop methods for the prevention, identification and treatment of mental illness; but also, for the promotion, identification, and maintenance of well-being. In this context, over three decades of subjective well-being research have resulted in the development of measures of positive aspects of human life, such as the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al., 1985). Our aim was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in a Swedish population of individuals with mental illness using both Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). Method A total of 264 participants (age mean = 43.46, SD = 13.31) diagnosed with different types of mental illness answered to the Swedish version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (five items, 7-point scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). Results We found positive and significant relationships between the five items of the scale (r ranging from 0.37 to 0.75), good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86), and that the one-factor solution had best goodness of fit (loadings between 0.52–0.88, p < 0.001). Additionally, there were no significant differences in comparative fit indexes regarding gender and occupation status. All items had high discrimination values (between 1.95–3.81), but item 5 (“If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing”); which had a moderate discrimination value (1.17) and the highest estimated difficulty on response 7 (3.06). Moreover, item 2 (“The conditions of my life are excellent”) had less discrimination and redundant difficulty with both item 1 (“In most ways my life is close to my ideal”; 2.03) on response 7 and with item 3 (“I am satisfied with my life”; –1.21) on response 1. The five items together provided good information, with especial good reliability and small standard error within −1.00 up to about 2.00 and the highest amount of test information at 0.00 of the level of life satisfaction within this population. Conclusions Consistent with previous research, the scale had good reliability and provided good information across most of the latent trait range. In addition, within this population, sociodemographic factors such as gender and occupation status do not influence how individuals respond to the items in the scale. However, the items couldn’t measure extreme levels of low/high life satisfaction. We suggest replication of these findings, the test of additional items, and the modification of items 2 and 5 in order to use the scale among individuals with mental illness.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
İbrahim Taş ◽  
Murat İskender

The aim of this study is to examine meaning in life, satisfaction with life, self-concept and locus of control among teachers by several variables. The research group was composed of 363 teachers (114 [40%] women, 219 [60%] men) working in several districts of İstanbul. The data were collected with Meaning in Life Scale (MLS), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Social Comparison Scale (SCS), and Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale (RLCS). Pearson’s Correlation Analysis, Independent Samples T-Test and Mann Whitney-U and Kruskal-Wallis H test were utilized. A positive relationship was found between experienced meaning in life and satisfaction with life and self-concept while a negative relationship was found between experienced meaning in life and locus of control. Expected meaning in life, satisfaction with life and locus of control were found to differ by gender. It was also determined that expected meaning in life and self-concept differed by marital status.


2020 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2092621
Author(s):  
Mengting Li ◽  
Yaling Luo ◽  
Penghui Li

Intergenerational solidarity plays a significant role in older adults’ psychological well-being, but it remains unclear whether the influence would vary by distance. This study aims to examine the moderating role of geographical proximity between intergenerational solidarity and life satisfaction. We interviewed 1,015 rural older adults in Sichuan, China. Life satisfaction was measured by Satisfaction with Life Scale. Five of the six dimensions of intergenerational solidarity were assessed: structural (geographical proximity), associational (contact frequency), functional (support exchange), affectual (emotional closeness), and normative (filial obligation). Multiple regression with interaction term was used. We found the effect of intergenerational solidarity (except associational solidarity) on life satisfaction was strongest for older adults with children living in the same city. Gender differences existed in the moderating effect of parent–child distance on the relationship between intergenerational solidarity and life satisfaction. Social services could focus on older adults with interprovincial migrant children and protect their well-being.


Author(s):  
Ewa Kupcewicz ◽  
Elżbieta Grochans ◽  
Marzena Mikla ◽  
Helena Kadučáková ◽  
Marcin Jóźwik

Background: This study analyzed the role of global self-esteem and selected sociodemographic variables in predicting life satisfaction of nursing students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia. Methods: The study subjects were full-time nursing students from three European countries. A diagnostic survey was used as a research method, while the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (SES) and the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) were used to collect data. Results: The research was performed on a group of 1002 students. The mean age of those surveyed was 21.6 (±3.4). The results showed significant differences both in the level of the global self-esteem index (F = 40.74; p < 0.0001) and in the level of general satisfaction with life (F = 12.71; p < 0.0001). A comparison of the structure of results demonstrated that there were significantly fewer students with high self-esteem in Spain (11.06%) than in Poland (48.27%) and in Slovakia (42.05%), while more students with a high sense of life satisfaction were recorded in Spain (64.90%) than in Poland (37.87%) or in Slovakia (47.44%). A positive, statistically significant correlation was found between global self-esteem and satisfaction with life in the group of Slovak students (r = 0.37; p < 0.0001), Polish students (r = 0.31; p < 0.0001) and Spanish students (r = 0.26; p < 0.0001). Furthermore, a regression analysis proved that three variables explaining a total of 12% output variation were the predictors of life satisfaction in Polish students. The regression factor was positive (ßeta = 0.31; R2 = 0.12), which indicates a positive correlation and the largest share was attributed to global self-esteem (9%). In the group of Spanish students, global self-esteem explained 7% (ßeta = 0.27; R2 = 0.07) of the output variation and 14% in the group of Slovak students (ßeta = 0.38; R2 = 0.14). Conclusions: The global self-esteem demonstrates the predictive power of life satisfaction of nursing students, most clearly marked in the group of Slovak students. The measurement of the variables under consideration may facilitate the planning and implementation of programs aimed at increasing self-esteem among young people and promoting the well-being of nursing students.


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