scholarly journals Age differences in experiencing meaning in life: A multidimensional approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 908-908
Author(s):  
Nicole Long Ki Fung ◽  
Helene Fung
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Sense Of Coherence ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Multidimensional Approach ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Two Age Groups

Abstract Coherence, purpose and significance were defined as the three facets of the presence of meaning in life (Martela & Steger, 2016). This study investigated the age differences in the three facets of meaning in life between younger and older adults. We recruited 241 younger adults (Mage=18.72, SD=1.50, 36.5% male) and 114 older adults (Mage=64.93, SD= 5.94, 52.6% male) from Hong Kong to fill out a one-hour online survey. We adapted the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale, which measured sense of coherence, purpose, significance. In specific, the adapted version measured significance in two sub facets: the naturalistic significance (important to other people) and cosmic significance (impact lasts beyond lifetime and space). The results showed that older adults had higher sense of coherence (t=3.47, p<.001), higher sense of cosmic significance (t=6.29, p<.001) but lower sense of purpose than younger adults (t=-2.02, p<.05). There were no significant differences in naturalistic significance between the two age groups (t=1.24, p=.22). Within both age groups, participants had the highest score in purpose, followed by coherence and naturalistic significance. They had the lowest score in cosmic significance. This study illustrated that younger and older adults have different absolute levels of meaning facets but are similar in the relative levels of meaning facets. Further studies can investigate how changes in absolute levels of meaning facet and preservation of the relative levels may affect well-being across age.

Is Positive Affect Related to Meaning in Life Differently in Younger and Older Adults? A Time Sampling Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (10) ◽  
pp. 2086-2094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Tsun-Wai Chu ◽  
Helene H Fung ◽  
Li Chu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Time Sampling ◽  
Global Effect ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Know How ◽  
Lower Extent

Abstract Objectives Prior studies have found that as people age, they value low-arousal positive affect (LAP) to a greater extent and high-arousal positive affect (HAP) to a lower extent. We aimed to investigate whether actually achieving those ideal affects was related to better well-being outcomes, measured in terms of meaning in life. Methods Using a time sampling design across 14 days (N = 162), we investigated whether the experience of LAP and HAP was related to the experience of meaning in life and how these associations differed across younger and older adults in Hong Kong. Results Both LAP and HAP contributed to the experience of meaning in life for both younger and older adults. The global effect of LAP on meaning in life was stronger for older than younger adults, whereas the momentary effect of HAP on meaning in life was stronger for younger adults than older adults. Discussion Findings suggest that achieving ideal affect is related to better eudaimonic well-being outcomes. People of different age groups know how they want to feel. Actually achieving the feelings endorsed by one’s age group is associated with higher meaningfulness of life.

Video Games and Emotion Regulation

GeroPsych ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 205-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn L. Ossenfort ◽  
Derek M. Isaacowitz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Interactive Media ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Media Preferences

Abstract. Research on age differences in media usage has shown that older adults are more likely than younger adults to select positive emotional content. Research on emotional aging has examined whether older adults also seek out positivity in the everyday situations they choose, resulting so far in mixed results. We investigated the emotional choices of different age groups using video games as a more interactive type of affect-laden stimuli. Participants made multiple selections from a group of positive and negative games. Results showed that older adults selected the more positive games, but also reported feeling worse after playing them. Results supplement the literature on positivity in situation selection as well as on older adults’ interactive media preferences.

scholarly journals Correlation between Mindfulness, Coherence and Wisdom in Sample of Different Age Groups in Adulthood

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 244
Author(s):  
Guna Svence
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Sense Of Coherence ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Analysis Of Narratives

<p><em>There are two different researches has been explain in this article. There is common idea of those two researches (Svence, Mihailova, Bebre, 2014)- does age as correlate statistical significant differ scores of mindfulness, wisdom and coherence.</em></p><p><em>The aim of the first research (Svence, Mihailova, 2014) is to make theoretical and practical analysis of correllations between sense of coherence, mindfulness and wellbeing among 25-45 year old women, as also make qualitative analysis in order to explore one of the sense of coherence categories – meaningfulness. Reserach has shown that there exists positive correlation between wellbeing and sense of coherence and between wellbeing and mindfulness, as aslo it has been shown that higher scores of sense of meaning in life is related to higher scores of wellbeing, yet there are nearly no research where the correlations between mindfulness and sense of coherece and/or meaningfulness would be explored. Yet there are enough research where the realaton of these concepts with other concepts such as self-efficacy, anxiety, stressreactivity is confirmed. Considering the above mentioned it is valuable to explore relations between sense of coherence, mindfulness and wellbeing. </em></p><p><em>Principal question of the research was to investigate if there is an association between sense of coherence, mindfulness and wellbeing, as also to make qualitative and quantitative analysis and acquire the broader understanding of this association. There were 36 participants in the research who were asked to fill three questionnaires via internet and to particiapate in the interview. Quantative methods were used in the research (Fife Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Orientation to Life Questionnaire to measure sense of coherence, Scales of Psychological Well-Being), as well as statistical methods (Pearson correlation) and qualitative method (content analysis of narratives). </em></p><p><em>Quantitative analysis confirmed the question of the research, since there were significant positive correlations discovered between all three concepts – sense of coherence, mindfulness and wellbeing. Content analysis of narratives was made and several typical content units were discovered whish are related to age appropriate meaningful life tasks, and to the processes of sense of coherence. Therefore the associatio between meaningfulness and other sense of coherence components was confirmed. </em></p><p><em>There is other research (Svence, Bebre,2014) about wisdom and meaningfulness scores- how they  correlates and differes in different age subgroups in adulthood.</em></p><p><em>There are some results show- scores of wisdom and meaningfulness are not significant differ in different age groups- early adulthood (20-35), middle age (40-55)  mathematical statistical significant, but differences has been finded about wisdom in early adulthood and middle age – according scores – wisdom is more higher in middle age as in early adulthood.</em></p><p> </p>

Human-Technology Interaction Factors Associated with Electronic Personal Health Records (ePHRs) Use Among Younger and Older Adult Users: A Secondary Data Analysis (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Luo ◽  
Krystal Dozier ◽  
Carin Ikenberg
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Personal Health Record ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Personal Health ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Clinical Notes ◽  
Interaction Factors ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Two Age Groups

BACKGROUND An electronic personal health record (ePHR), also known as a personal health record (PHR), was broadly defined as an electronic application through which individuals can access, manage, and share their health information in a secure and confidential environment. Although ePHRs can benefit individuals as well as caregivers and healthcare providers, the use of ePHRs among individuals continues to remain low. The relationship between age and ePHRs use has been documented in previous studies, which indicated younger age was related to higher ePHRs use, and patients who are younger were more likely to use ePHRs. OBJECTIVE The current study aims to examine the relationship between human-technology interaction factors and ePHRs use among adults, and then compare the different effects of human-technology interaction factors on ePHRs use between younger adults (18-54 years old) and older adults (55 years of age and over). METHODS We analyzed the from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS5, Cycle 3) collected from U.S. adults aged 18 years old and over in 2019. Descriptive analysis was conducted for all variables and each item of ePHRs use. Bivariate tests (Pearson test for categorical variable and F-test for continuous variables) were conducted over four age groups. Lastly, adjusting for socio-demographics and healthcare resources, a weighted multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the relationship between human-technology interaction factors and ePHRs use. RESULTS The final sample size was 1,363 and divided into two age groups: 18-54 years old and 55 years of age and older. The average level of ePHRs use was low (Mean=2.76, range=0-8). There is no significant difference on average ePHRs use between two age groups. Including clinical notes was positively related to ePHRs use in both groups: 18-54 years old (beta=0.28, P<0.01), 55 years old and above (beta=0.15, P<0.01). While accessing ePHRs using a smartphone app was only associated with ePHRs use among younger adults (beta=0.29, P<0.001), ease to understand health information in ePHRs was positively linked to ePHRs use only among older adults (beta=0.13, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS This study found that including clinical notes was positively related to ePHRs use in both age groups, which suggested that including clinical notes as a part of ePHRs might improve the effective use of ePHRs among patients. Moreover, accessing ePHRs using a smartphone app was associated with higher ePHRs use among younger adults while ease of understanding health information in ePHRs was linked to higher ePHRs use among older adults. The design of ePHRs should provide the option of being accessible through mobile devices to promote greater ePHRs use among young people. For older adults, providers could add additional notes to explain health information recorded in the ePHRs.

scholarly journals EXPLORING AGE, GENDER, AND RELATIONSHIP CLOSENESS DIFFERENCES IN RESPONSES TO IGNORED DISRESPECT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S305-S305
Author(s):  
Jenessa C Steele ◽  
Amanda Chappell ◽  
Rachel Scott
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Relationship Closeness ◽  
Close Condition

Abstract Emotional responses to disrespect tend to be negative (Hawkins, 2015). Little is known about how responses to disrespect vary across age groups and relationship closeness. It is unknown whether older adults have more emotional protection against disrespectful experiences, or are more deeply affected due to relationship closeness. Overall, we might expect that older adults react less negatively to disrespect compared to young adults, as they are more-skilled emotion regulators (Carstensen, 1991; English & Carstensen, 2014). We aimed to explore if, and under which circumstances, older adults are more or less sensitive to disrespect compared to younger adults. Three hundred participants responded to six scenarios illustrating ignored disrespect. Participants were randomly assigned to close or distant relationship disrespect scenarios. Relationship closeness was first determined by requesting participants identify a person in each layer of Kahn and Antonucci’s (1980) Social Convoy Model. Identified names were then automatically inserted into the six scenarios. Emotional responses and sensitivity to each scenario were recorded. Participants in the close condition reported more sensitivity to disrespect and negative emotions than participants in the distant condition. Females reported more sensitivity to disrespect and negative emotions than males. We did not find overwhelming support for age differences in responses to disrespect. A single scenario indicated younger participants more sensitive to disrespect than older participants. Findings suggest it is more hurtful to be disrespected by someone close to you and females may be more sensitive to disrespect than males. More research investigating the role of age in disrespect is needed.

scholarly journals Age Differences in Material Deprivation in Finland: How do Consensus and Prevalence-Based Weighting Approaches Change the Picture?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilari Ilmakunnas ◽  
Lauri Mäkinen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Material Deprivation ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
New Information ◽  
Deprivation Indices

AbstractWhile material deprivation is often used to measure poverty, analyses focusing on the measurement of material deprivation are scarce. This study provides new information on material deprivation by analyzing how differences in the considerations of necessities and possession of deprivation items among all respondents and within population subgroups affect group-level differences in material deprivation in Finland. In line with many previous studies on material deprivation, this study focused on age groups. There is a significant age gradient regarding considerations of necessities, possession, and deprivation of many deprivation items. On average, younger adults experience material deprivation more often than older adults do. This study considers the differences in the considerations of necessities and possession of deprivation items using different weighting approaches. The study found that these differences are not largely transmitted to deprivation indices. Two causes of this finding were found: (1) individuals, on average, are not deprived of items in which there are differences between age groups regarding consensus and prevalence and (2) in those items in which deprivation is high, the consensus and the prevalence rates are often lower compared to other items. The results provide new information on which factors are important when using weighting approaches to measure material deprivation.

scholarly journals ANGER, LOVE, SADNESS: DO EMOTION WORDS HAVE THE SAME SEMANTIC MEANING ACROSS AGE-GROUPS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S841-S842
Author(s):  
Madeline J Nichols ◽  
Jennifer A Bellingtier ◽  
Frances Buttelmann
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Semantic Meaning ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Emotion Words ◽  
Emotion Word ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Every day we use emotion words to describe our experiences, but past research finds that the meanings of these words can vary. Furthermore, historical shifts in language use and experiential knowledge of the emotions may contribute to age-differences in what these emotion words convey. We examined age-related differences in the valence, arousal, and expression connoted by the words anger, love, and sadness. We predicted age-related differences in the semantic meanings of the words would emerge such that older adults would more clearly differentiate the positivity/negativity of the words, whereas younger adults would report higher endorsement for the conveyed arousal and expression. Participants included American and German older adults (N=61; mean age=68.98) and younger adults (N=77; mean age=20.77). Using the GRID instrument (Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, 2013), they rated each emotion word for its valence, arousal, and expression when used by a speaker of the participant’s native language. Across emotions and dimensions, older adults were generally more moderate in their understanding of emotion words. For example, German older adults rated anger and sadness as suggesting the speaker felt less bad and more good than the younger adults. American older adults rated love as connoting the speaker felt more bad and less good than younger adults. Arousal ratings were higher for German younger, as opposed to older, adults. Cultural differences were most pronounced for sadness such that German participants gave more moderate answers than American participants. Overall, our research suggests that there are age-related differences in the understanding of emotion words.

scholarly journals Age Differences in Risk and Resilience Factors in COVID-19-Related Stress

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Pearman ◽  
MacKenzie L Hughes ◽  
Emily L Smith ◽  
Shevaun D Neupert
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Proactive Coping ◽  
Risk And Resilience ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Resilience Factors ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Abstract Objectives Older adults are at higher risk for death and infirmity from COVID-19 than younger and middle-aged adults. The current study examines COVID-19-specific anxiety and proactive coping as potential risk and resilience factors that may be differentially important for younger and older adults in understanding stress experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Five hundred and fifteen adults aged 20–79 years in the United States reported on their anxiety about developing COVID-19, proactive coping, and stress related to COVID-19 in an online survey. Results Although there were no age differences in stress levels, anxiety about developing COVID-19 was associated with more COVID-19 stress for older adults relative to younger adults, but proactive coping was associated with less COVID-19 stress for older adults relative to younger adults. Discussion Our results suggest that anxiety might function as a risk factor, whereas proactive coping may function as a resilience factor for older adults’ COVID-19 stress. We encourage future context-dependent investigations into mental health among older adults during this pandemic and beyond.

Age Differences in Source Monitoring and Referent Discrimination

2012 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trinidad Ruiz-Gallego-Largo ◽  
Teresa Simón ◽  
Aurora G. Suengas
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Source Monitoring ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Other ◽  
Reality Monitoring ◽  
Monitoring Framework ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
Two Age Groups

In contrast to previous studies which addressed separately memory for source and referent, the present experiment analyzes the effects of aging on memory for both, source and referent. The experiment simulated a conversation between two people exchanging descriptors of themselves and the other speaker (e.g., “I am helpful,” “you are capable”). Participants (N = 60) were divided into two age groups: younger (M = 23.47 years old, SD = 2.37), older (M = 70.30 years old, SD = 3.73). Recall, recognition, and accuracy in identifying source (e.g., “who said helpful?”) and referent (e.g., “about whom was capable said?”) were analyzed. Younger and older adults recalled and recognized equally well information read by the experimenter about herself, but only young adults showed better memory for the descriptors they read about themselves. Older adults were impaired in source monitoring, but not in reference discrimination. Normal referent discrimination in older adults is attributed to the fact that the referent forms part of the content of the episode, whereas who spoke it is part of its context, and older adults tend to show greater deficits in context than in content memory. These results are explained within the source and reality monitoring framework.

scholarly journals Mental Health and Social Connectedness Across the Adult Lifespan in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Madeline A. Gregory ◽  
Nicole K. Legg ◽  
Zachary Senay ◽  
Jamie-Lee Barden ◽  
Peter Phiri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Adult Age

Abstract The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had profound consequences on collective mental health and well-being, and yet, older adults appear better off than younger adults. The current study examined mental health impacts of the pandemic across adult age groups in a large sample (n = 5,320) of Canadians using multiple hierarchical regression analyses. Results suggest older adults are experiencing better mental health and more social connectedness relative to younger adults. Loneliness predicted negative mental health outcomes across all age groups, while the negative association between social support and mental health was only significant at average and high levels of loneliness in the 65–69 age group. Results point towards differential mental health impacts of the pandemic across adult age groups and indicate that loneliness and social support may be key intervention targets during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research should further examine mechanisms of resiliency among older Canadian adults during the pandemic.

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