scholarly journals Marital Religious Homogamy and Dimensions of Well-Being in Later Life: Evidence From the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 306-306
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks ◽  
Markus Schafer ◽  
Jeremy Uecker
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Attendance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Religious Homogamy

Abstract Past research points to the importance of couple-level religious similarity for multiple dimensions of older adults’ partnership quality and stability, but we have a limited understanding of whether religious homogamy matters for the well-being of seniors. This study uses dyadic data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a representative sample of 953 individuals ages 62–91 plus their marital or cohabiting partners. Using actor-partner interdependence models in the general structural equation model framework (GSEM), we find that religious attendance homogamy is beneficial for the physical health of men and the mental health and self-reported happiness of women. There were no associations between religious homogamy for religious importance detected. Taken together, our results attest to the ongoing importance of religious similarity—service attendance, in particular—for mental and physical well-being in later life. Future research is needed to more fully examine which mechanisms account for these patterns.

scholarly journals Predicting Perceived Health of Older Adults: The Role of Health, Personality, and Resilience

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 227-228
Author(s):  
Rotem Arieli ◽  
Joseph Kim ◽  
Peter Martin
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Personality Assessment ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Supplemental Health Insurance

Abstract Past research has not addressed how domain-specific “health” personality traits are associated with resilience and well-being. The purpose of this study was to determine pathways from health personality to perceived health, mediated by resilience. Data included 3,907 participants, 65 and older, collected by a large provider of Medicare Supplemental Health Insurance. The Health Personality Assessment (health neuroticism, health extraversion, health openness, health agreeableness, and health conscientiousness), Brief Resilience Scale, and perceived health were measured. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap mediation were conducted in Mplus. The hypothesized model resulted in a marginal fit, so direct paths from health openness and health conscientiousness to perceived health were added, resulting in an improved fit, χ2(192)=1660.96, RMSEA=.04, CFI=.95; χ2∆(2)=403.99, p<.001. Health neuroticism and health extraversion negatively predicted perceived health, fully mediated by resilience, β=-.11, p<.001, and β=-.01, p<.05, suggesting that people anxious about their health or that talk about their health had significantly lower levels of resilience. Resilience positively predicted perceived health, indicating that more resilient people reported better health. Higher levels of health openness predicted significantly lower levels of perceived health, β=-.19, p<.001. Greater levels of health conscientiousness predicted better perceived health, β=.20, p<.001, and resilience in-turn positively related to perceived health, β=.08, p<.001. Health personality and resilience explained 25.3% of variance in perceived health. This study exemplifies the importance of health personality and resilience in predicting perceived health for older adults. Future research should examine interventions focused on health personality increasing resilience, as older adults with higher resilience reported significantly better health.

scholarly journals Child’s Developmental Disabilities and Parental Well-being in Midlife and Old Age: Does Race Matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 916-916
Author(s):  
Juha Lee ◽  
Manjing Gao ◽  
Chioun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Differential Vulnerability ◽  
Differential Exposure ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Having a child with developmental disabilities (DD) compromises parents’ health and well-being. We have little knowledge on whether the association is robust to the presence of exposure-outcome confounders and how it varies by race. Guided by life-course perspectives, we evaluate (1) the association between having a child with DD and parental well-being and (2) racial disparities in the likelihood of having a child with DD (differential exposure), and/or the effect of having a child with DD on parental well-being (differential vulnerabilities). We advance prior studies by including a wide array of parent’s early-life adversities (ELAs, e.g., poverty and abuse), which may link the predictor to the outcome. Using the core, Refresher, and Milwaukee samples from Midlife in the United States (N=9,640, 25% non-Whites), we conducted regression analysis with race as a moderator. Compared to having a healthy child, parents having a child with DD reported lower well-being even after controlling for ELAs. While the likelihood of having a child with DD (around 10%) is similar for both non-Hispanic Whites and African Americans, African American parents are more adversely affected by having a child with DD across most of the eudaimonic well-being indicators (i.e., autonomy, self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, personal growth, environmental mastery). The later-life well-being of racial minorities is disproportionally affected by having a child with DD. Future research avenues include identifying life-course pathways that contribute to this differential vulnerability.

scholarly journals Sleep and Loneliness as Mechanisms Through Which Marital Quality Predicts Depression Among Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 34-35
Author(s):  
Christina Marini ◽  
Lynn Martire ◽  
Orfeu Buxton
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Structural Equation Models ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being

Abstract Pathways through which spousal support and strain influence older adults’ well-being are poorly understood. We examined sleep quality and loneliness as mechanisms through which support and strain predict depressive symptoms across ten years utilizing National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project data. Our sample included partnered participants at waves 1 and 2 (N = 1,293; 39% female, M age = 66, SD = 6.93). Support (e.g., rely on spouse) and strain (e.g., spouse criticizes you) were measured at W1, loneliness (UCLA) and sleep quality (restless sleep) were measured at W2, and depression (CES-D) was measured at W3. We estimated latent-variable structural equation models, controlling for age, gender, and W1 depression. Indirect effects of support and strain on depressive symptoms through loneliness were significant. There was an additional trend-level indirect effect of spousal strain on depressive symptoms through restless sleep. Findings highlight multiple pathways through which marital quality predicts later-life well-being.

Obligatory and Voluntary Identity Discrepancies, Self-Evaluation, and Psychological Distress

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Gallagher
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Somatic Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
The Impact

In identity theory, inconsistencies between self-views and perceptions of others’ views of self (identity discrepancies) are considered stressors that can compromise well-being. The particular outcome(s) affected by a given identity discrepancy may depend upon the type of identity being considered. Using telephone survey data ( n = 501) from a national probability sample of adults in the United States and structural equation modeling techniques, the author compares the impact of discrepancies in obligatory and voluntary identities on two components of self-evaluation (self-esteem and self-efficacy) and three types of psychological distress (depressive, anxiety, and somatic symptoms). Results confirm that discrepancies associated with obligatory and voluntary identities differentially affect these outcomes. Obligatory identity discrepancies have a direct association with somatic symptoms, whereas voluntary identity discrepancies are indirectly related to depressive, anxiety, and somatic symptoms through self-esteem. Implications of these findings for identity and mental health research, directions for future research, and study limitations are discussed.

scholarly journals Do Social Connections Buffer Loneliness Associated With Living Alone?

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 461-461
Author(s):  
Markus Schafer ◽  
Haosen Sun ◽  
Jin Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Life ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The United States ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Interaction Terms ◽  
Race Ethnicity

Abstract The growth of solo living has important implications for the rising “loneliness epidemic” among older adults. This study considers whether two forms of social connectedness—extra-household core discussion networks and formal social participation—buffer the loneliness associated with living alone. Our study uses data from two surveys (National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project; Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe) encompassing 20 developed Western countries in 2009/2010 and 2015/2016 (n = 110,817). Harmonizing measures across data sets, we estimate survey-specific and pooled linear regression models with interaction terms. Results indicated that high levels of social connectedness only moderately buffer the loneliness associated with living alone in later life. Findings were largely consistent across regions of Europe and the United States, though the buffering patterns were most robustly identified for widowed solo dwellers. Taken together, the results suggest that extra-household connections are partial compensators, but do not seem to fully replace the ready companionship afforded by residential co-presence in later life. Future research is needed to understand whether the efficacy of compensatory connections differs by gender, race/ethnicity, and across more diverse global regions.

scholarly journals SEM-PLS Approach to Green Building

Encyclopedia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 472-481
Author(s):  
Nasim Aghili ◽  
Mehdi Amirkhani
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Renewable Materials ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Building Operation ◽  
The Impact

Green buildings refer to buildings that decrease adverse environmental effects and maintain natural resources. They can diminish energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, the usage of non-renewable materials, water consumption, and waste generation while improving occupants’ health and well-being. As such, several rating tools and benchmarks have been developed worldwide to assess green building performance (GBP), including the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) in the United Kingdom, German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in the United States and Canada, Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) in Japan, Green Star in Australia, Green Mark in Singapore, and Green Building Index in Malaysia. Energy management (EM) during building operation could also improve GBP. One of the best approaches to evaluating the impact of EM on GBP is by using structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM is a commanding statistical method to model testing. One of the most used SEM variance-based approaches is partial least squares (PLS), which can be implemented in the SmartPLS application. PLS-SEM uses path coefficients to determine the strength and significance of the hypothesised relationships between the latent constructs.

scholarly journals A Faith to Move Mountains? Childhood Abuse, Religious Change, and Mental Health at Midlife

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 461-461
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Childhood Maltreatment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Attendance ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Religious Importance ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract Of all the various forms of adversity experienced during childhood, childhood maltreatment (emotional and physical abuse) is shown to have the largest impacts on mental health and well-being. Yet we still have a limited understanding of why some victims of early maltreatment suffer immense mental health consequences later on in the life course, while others are able to cushion the blow of these early insults. Using two waves of data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS), this study considers change in religiosity as a buffer across three dimensions for victims of childhood abuse: religious importance, attendance, and the specific act of seeking comfort through religion. Results suggest that increases in religious comfort during adulthood are positively associated with adult mental health for victims of abuse, while decreases in religious comfort over time were associated with worse mental health. Changes in religious attendance and religious importance were not significant associated with mental health for victims of abuse. Taken together, my results show that the stress-moderating effects of religion for victims of childhood maltreatment are contingent on the stability or increases or decreases in religiosity over the life course, which has been overlooked in previous work.

Aspiring to Do All Things Through Him Who Strengthens? Quixotic Hope, Religiosity, and Mental Health in Emerging Adulthood

2021 ◽  
pp. 215686932110085
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Educational Expectations ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Attendance ◽  
National Study ◽  
Health Consequences

Beliefs about the probability of educational success tend to be very optimistic in the United States. However, scholars are beginning to uncover mental health consequences associated with quixotic hope—the unrealistic outstripping of expectation by aspiration. Using longitudinal data from Waves 1 and 3 of the National Study of Youth and Religion, this study asks, (1) does religiosity promote or diminish the likelihood of quixotic hope? and (2) does religious attendance and closeness to God mitigate long-term mental health consequences of quixotic hope? Results show that weekly religious attendance had a modest negative relationship with the likelihood of experiencing quixotic hope, while increasing religious attendance over time attenuated the negative mental health consequences of quixotic hope on increases in depression. Closeness to God neither predicted quixotic hope nor played a moderating role for depression. As educational expectations rise, regular religious practice may help protect the emotional well-being of youth.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of a short Yoga Nidra meditation on stress, sleep, and well-being in a large and diverse sample

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther N. Moszeik ◽  
Timo von Oertzen ◽  
Karl-Heinz Renner
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Core Element ◽  
Waitlist Control Group ◽  
Affective Components ◽  
Meditation Group ◽  
Yoga Nidra

Abstract Previous studies have shown that meditation-based interventions can have a significant impact on stress and well-being in various populations. To further extend these findings, an 11-min Yoga Nidra meditation that may especially be integrated in a busy daily schedule by people who can only afford short time for breaks was adapted and analyzed in an experimental online study design. The effects of this short meditation on stress, sleep, well-being and mindfulness were examined for the first time. The meditation was provided as audio file and carried out during a period of 30 days by the participants of the meditation group. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to analyze the data with Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML) in order to cope with missing data. As expected, the meditation group (N = 341) showed lower stress, higher well-being and improved sleep quality after the intervention (very small to small effect sizes) compared with a waitlist control group (N = 430). It turned out that the meditation had a stronger impact on the reduction of negative affect than on the increase of positive affect and also a stronger effect on affective components of well-being. Mindfulness, as a core element of the meditation, increased during the study within the meditation group. All effects remained stable at follow-up six weeks later. Overall, a large, heterogeneous sample showed that already a very short dose of meditation can positively influence stress, sleep, and well-being. Future research should consider biological markers as well as active control groups.

scholarly journals Perceived Control and Aging: A Mini-Review and Directions for Future Research

Gerontology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 435-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie A. Robinson ◽  
Margie E. Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Sex Education ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Health And Well Being

This brief review on perceived control and aging is organized according to 3 perspectives of research involving description, explanation, and modification. An extensive body of literature has utilized cross-sectional and correlational methods to describe the sociodemographic variations and outcomes associated with perceived control. This work has focused on differences in perceived control as a function of age, sex, education, socioeconomic status, and culture and has identified positive associations with many aging-related outcomes involving health and well-being. With growing evidence regarding the health benefits of perceived control in the context of a declining sense of control with aging, there has been an increased effort to uncover the mechanisms involved, with the hopes of developing methods to maintain and/or promote adaptive control beliefs throughout adulthood. Through longitudinal and experimental work, researchers are beginning to clarify the directionality and elucidate the mechanisms to explain the associations. Recent evidence from longitudinal studies shows that control beliefs have an impact on subsequent changes in health. Yet, the findings suggest that it is not a unidirectional relationship. A conceptual model suggesting an ongoing reciprocal relationship between perceived control and health and well-being is discussed. Research examining the mechanisms that link perceived control to aging-related outcomes can help to inform and to develop effective interventions that are tailored to the individual's specific barriers and goals. We consider new directions for research, including more attention to intraindividual variability and reactivity to daily challenges, such as stress, with the goal of advancing our understanding of how perceived control contributes to aging-related outcomes. More work is needed to develop strategies to enhance control beliefs in later life. Although it will not always be possible to modify control beliefs, researchers can take these beliefs into account when developing interventions. A personalized approach is recommended as a way to tailor interventions that are compatible with individuals' beliefs about control to facilitate adaptive behavior change. Conclusions focus on selected issues and considerations for future research.

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