scholarly journals Coping With COVID-19: Challenges and Resilience

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 311-311
Author(s):  
Lauren Mitchell ◽  
Lauren Mitchell ◽  
Daniel Mroczek

Abstract COVID-19 has introduced unprecedented challenges for older adults. At the same time, older adults have adapted to meet the challenges of the pandemic. In this symposium, we explore a number of difficulties brought about by COVID-19, while also investigating the ways in which individual, social, and community resources and strengths have bolstered older adults' resilience through the pandemic. Paper 1 investigates family caregivers of older adults with dementia living in long-term residential care facilities, a group that has been especially heavily affected by the pandemic. Using longitudinal data spanning Fall 2017-Spring 2021, the authors estimate caregivers' trajectories of well-being pre-and-post pandemic. With an exceptionally large qualitative data sample, Paper 2 examines the influence of COVID-19 on older adults' neighborhood engagement. Thematic analysis has revealed diverse patterns of response to the pandemic, as well as community and personal characteristics that have facilitated older adults' coping and resilience. Papers 3 and 4 examine how older adults' personality traits may influence their responses and adjustment to the pandemic, each using assessments of personality taken before the pandemic. Specifically, Paper 3 investigates the relationship between Big Five personality traits and older adults' concerns, precautions, and preparatory behaviors. Paper 4 explores how optimism predicts older adults' emotional responses, including worry, loneliness, and benefit-finding. Using a variety of methods and populations, these studies illustrate the challenges that older adults and their families have faced over the past year, as well key factors at the level of individuals, relationships, and communities that have contributed to their resilience.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 390-390
Author(s):  
Junyan Tian ◽  
Anabella Raika ◽  
Despina Stavrinos ◽  
Lesley Ross

Abstract Older adults’ psychosocial factors, including personality, are correlated with driving performance and driving cessation. However, the relationship between personality and driving styles has been examined only among young and middle-aged drivers. This study examined the relationships of personality factors and self-reported driving styles among 72 healthy older drivers aged 65-85 (M=72.29, SD=5.36) using the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) scale to measure reckless and careless, anxious, angry and hostile, and patient and careful driving styles. Personality was accessed with the Big Five Personality questionnaire. Correlational results indicated that less conscientiousness was significantly correlated with increased reckless and careless and less patient and careful driving styles; and lower agreeableness was significantly correlated with greater angry and hostile and less patient and careful driving styles. Being a man was associated with greater reckless and careless and angry and hostile driving styles. Age was not associated with driving styles. Accordingly, three regressions were tested. After controlling for gender, only lower conscientiousness was associated with greater reckless and careless driving style (β=-.007, p=.03). Men had a higher risk of reckless and careless (β=.342, p<.01) and angry and hostile (β=.392, p<.01) driving styles. Our results highlight the relationship between personality traits and self-reported driving styles among older adults, and how gender may influence some of these relationships. Future research should further investigate the associations between gender and personality traits and older adults’ driving mobility and safety.


Author(s):  
Ulla Bunz

This study investigates the relationship between social media use, Big Five personality traits, and subjective well-being to determine how different personality traits relate to different measures of social media use and well- being, and which variable influences well-being the most. Participants completed established measures for the Big Five personality traits, social media engagement, social media intensity, satisfaction with life, positive and negative affect, and depression. Results showed that extraversion predicted social media engagement and intensity, and social media time. Conscientiousness predicted spending less time on social media. In addition, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism predicted positive well-being stronger than did social media use. When conducting five separate regression analyses with a social media use variable and a different personality variable each time, four times (conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) the personality variable predicted negative well-being more strongly than did the social media use variable. However, negative well-being was predicted more strongly by social media use than by the fifth personality variable, openness to change. Results are discussed and possible future investigations are suggested.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 898-898
Author(s):  
Mirjam Stieger ◽  
Yujun Liu ◽  
Eileen Graham ◽  
Jenna DeFrancisco ◽  
Margie Lachman

Abstract Previous research on the relationship between personality traits and cognitive abilities has primarily focused on cross-sectional studies or on specific personality traits in relation to selected cognitive dimensions. The present study extends existing research by exploring associations among 20-year personality change profiles and 10-year cognitive change in middle-aged and older adults. The present study included 2,652 participants of the Midlife in the United States study (MIDUS) ranging in age between 20 - 74 years (M = 46.61, SD = 11.26) at the first of the three measurement occasions. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to capture profiles of change across the Big Five personality traits of extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, and emotional stability combined. Results of the LPA identified three personality change subgroups: Decreasers, Maintainers, and Increasers. Across the 20 years, the Decreasers showed greater decreases on the Big Five personality traits, the Maintainers remained mostly stable, and the Increasers showed greater personality trait increases. Also, the Maintainers and Decreasers were significantly older than the Increasers. Longitudinal multilevel models were used to examine the relationship between these three personality change profiles and cognitive change. Age, sex, education, physical activity, functional health, and self-rated health were added as covariates. Results show that cognitive decline was greater for the Decreasers and less for the Increasers compared to the other personality change profiles. The results have implications for developing interventions to target personality trait change in middle and later adulthood as a potential means for reducing declines in cognitive functioning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 564-564
Author(s):  
David Condon ◽  
Emorie Beck ◽  
Joshua Jackson

Abstract Most investigations in the structure of personality traits do not adequately address age, as few studies look at the structure of personality traits a-theoretically, instead presupposing a theoretical structure e.g., Big Five. As a result, the relationship among indicators within a trait (coherence) are often highlighted but relationships across traits (differentiation) are not thoroughly examined. Using a large-scale sample of 369,151 individuals ranging in age from 14 to 90, the present study examines whether personality indicators show differential relationships as a function of age. Results indicate that coherence shows few changes across the lifespan, while differentiation weakens across adulthood into old age. These finding suggest that Big Five indicators only parallel the Big Five structure among young but not older adults. Thus, using standard Big Five personality trait assessments in older adults may, at best, not reflect reality and, at worse, undermine the predictive utility of personality traits.


Author(s):  
Marc Allroggen ◽  
Peter Rehmann ◽  
Eva Schürch ◽  
Carolyn C. Morf ◽  
Michael Kölch

Abstract.Narcissism is seen as a multidimensional construct that consists of two manifestations: grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. In order to define these two manifestations, their relationship to personality factors has increasingly become of interest. However, so far no studies have considered the relationship between different phenotypes of narcissism and personality factors in adolescents. Method: In a cross-sectional study, we examine a group of adolescents (n = 98; average age 16.77 years; 23.5 % female) with regard to the relationship between Big Five personality factors and pathological narcissism using self-report instruments. This group is compared to a group of young adults (n = 38; average age 19.69 years; 25.6 % female). Results: Grandiose narcissism is primarily related to low Agreeableness and Extraversion, vulnerable narcissism to Neuroticism. We do not find differences between adolescents and young adults concerning the relationship between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism and personality traits. Discussion: Vulnerable and grandiose narcissism can be well differentiated in adolescents, and the pattern does not show substantial differences compared to young adults.


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824402110030
Author(s):  
Kai Kaspar ◽  
Lisa Anna Marie Fuchs

Stimulated by the uses-and-gratification approach, this study examined the joint relation of several consumer characteristics to news interest. In total, 1,546 German-speaking participants rated their interest in 15 major news categories and several personal characteristics, including gender, age, the Big Five personality traits, self-esteem, as well as general positive and negative affect. Regression analyses examined the amount of interindividual variance in news interest that can be explained by this set of consumer characteristics. Overall, the amount of explained variance differed remarkably across news categories, ranging from 4% for entertainment-related news to 25% for news about technology. The most powerful explaining variables were participants’ gender, age, openness to experiences, and their amount of general positive affect. The results suggest that news interest should be defined and operationalized as a concept with multiple facets covering a huge range of content. Also, the results are important for media producers and journalists with respect to the conflict between increased need gratification of consumers and information filtering via personalized news content.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 16-16
Author(s):  
Sungsim Lee

Abstract This presentation describes a supportive mindfulness practice for caregivers of older adults based on the principles of Won Buddhism (an integrative, a modernized Buddhism). As the aging population grows, there is a significant increase in recognition of the negative impact of caregiver stress on older adults’ quality of life. The ability for caregivers to deal compassionately with stress is essential, as caring for older adults can awaken feelings about one’s own vulnerability and mortality. The ‘Mindful Gratitude Practice’ offers a way to cope with stress, cultivate self-care, and improve the care of others. Relevant research will be summarized, which shows mindfulness and gratitude practice respectively benefit positive influence in both physical and emotional well-being. Mindful Gratitude Practice as a spiritual approach that fosters caregivers' emotional stability, reduces their stress and improves the relationship between older adults and their caregivers. In this presentation, three processes of Mindful Gratitude Practice will be described: 1. Understanding a mindfulness practice by establishing intention, attention, and attitude, 2. Learning the principles of a gratitude practice and implementation, and 3. Incorporating mindfulness into a gratitude practice. Research results have demonstrated that through this learning process, caregivers have acquired the concept of interconnectedness, experience grateful moments, and a deep feeling of appreciation in their caregiving relationships. The presenter will guide participants in a short experience of Mindfulness Gratitude Practice. Further readings and resources will be provided for those who are interested.


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