Striving for Positive Aging Among Chinese Older People: Effects of Life Stress and Control Beliefs in a Longitudinal Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 382-400
Author(s):  
Luo Lu ◽  
Shu-Fang Kao

We examined effects of life stress and control beliefs on a constellation of subjective indicators of well-being for older people, including meaning in life, happiness, peace of mind, and positive aging perception. The Chinese cultural background provided the sociocultural milieu for the present study. In a longitudinal study, 301 older Chinese adults completed a questionnaire survey twice, 6 months apart. Regression analyses found that stress caused by major life-changing events (acute) and financial hardship (chronic) were consistent negative predictors of all well-being indicators. Furthermore, primary control belief (tenacious goal pursuit) amplified the negative impacts of life events on happiness and peace of mind. Secondary control belief (submitting to circumstances), in contrast, acted as a buffer that alleviated the deleterious effects of financial hardship on peace of mind and meaning in life. Noting the threats of unfavorable life circumstances and the potency of secondary control belief for older Chinese people, theoretical and cultural implications were discussed.

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
John T. Nanney ◽  
Rachel A. Wamser-Nanney ◽  
Lance H. Linke ◽  
Joseph I. Constans ◽  
Jeffrey M. Pyne

Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 361
Author(s):  
Maria Komariah ◽  
Urai Hatthakit ◽  
Nongnut Boonyoung

This research emphasizes the nurse’s role in incorporating Islamic teaching through the care practices provided in order to promote spiritual well-being in Muslim women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. In addition, religion and spirituality have been recognized as the primary resources for coping. The aim of the study, therefore, was to explore the impact of an Islam-based caring intervention on the spiritual well-being of Muslim women with cancer. Furthermore, data were collected using a questionnaire and, also, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp) on baseline (Time 1), days 3 (Time 2), 23 (Time 3), and 44 (Time 4). The results showed the significant impact of an Islam-based caring intervention on the participants’ level of spiritual well-being. In addition, the mean scores varied between the intervention and control group over time. Based on the reflection, participants stipulated feeling peace of mind, closer to God, spirit for further life, and healthier.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhard Reese ◽  
Elias Kohler ◽  
Claudia Menzel

Virtual nature experiences can improve physiological and psychological well-being. While there is ample research on the positive effects of nature, both in virtual and physical settings, we know little about potential moderators of restoration effects in virtual reality settings. According to theories of needs and control beliefs, it is plausible to assume that control over one’s actions affects how people respond to nature experiences. In this Virtual Reality (VR) experiment, 64 participants could either actively navigate through a VR landscape or they were navigated by the experimenter. We measured their perceived stress, mood, and vitality before and after the VR experience, as well as subjective restoration outcome and perceived restorativeness of the landscape afterwards. Results revealed that participants’ positive affective states increased after the VR experience, regardless of control. There was also a main effect such that participants reported lower stress after the VR experience – however, qualified by an interaction showing that this was only the case in the “no control” condition. These results suggest that - unexpectedly - active VR experiences may be more stressful than passive ones, opening pathways for future research on how handling of and navigating in VR can attenuate effects of virtual nature.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-198
Author(s):  
Purnima Awasthi ◽  
Ramesh C. Mishra ◽  
S. K. Singh

The study examines the role of health-promoting lifestyle and illness control beliefs in well-being of obese diabetic women. Measures of illness control belief, health-promoting lifestyle and obesity-related well-being were given to 100 obese diabetic women selected from outdoors of hospitals in Varanasi. Analysis revealed patients’ stronger belief in ‘doctor-control’ and ‘supernatural-control’ than ‘self-control’ of the disease. Nutrition, interpersonal relations, physical activity and stress management were given more importance in health promotion than spiritual growth-related practices. Belief in ‘self-control’ and ‘doctor-control’ of disease was negatively correlated with ‘psychosocial discomfort’, ‘physical discomfort’ and ‘psychosocial impact’ aspects of obesity, whereas ‘supernatural-control’ showed positive relationship with all aspects. All components of ‘health-promoting lifestyle’ were negatively correlated with ‘physical discomfort’, ‘psychosocial discomfort’ and ‘psychosocial impact’ aspects of obesity. Multiple regression analysis brought out ‘self-control’, ‘supernatural-control’, ‘health responsibility’, ‘physical activity’ and ‘stress management’ as significant predictors of ‘well-being’ of the obese diabetic women.


Author(s):  
Nardi Steverink

Well-being is a core concept for both individuals, groups and societies. Greater understanding of trajectories of well-being in later life may contribute to the achievement and maintenance of well-being for as many as possible. This article reviews two main approaches to well-being: hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, and shows that it is not chronological age per se, but various factors related to age that underlie trajectories of well-being at older ages. Next to the role of genes, heritability and personality traits, well-being is determined to a substantial extent by external circumstances and resources (e.g., health and social relationships), and to malleable individual behaviors and beliefs (e.g., self-regulatory ability and control beliefs). Although many determinants have been identified, it remains difficult to decide which of them are most important. Moreover, the role of some determinants varies for different indicators of well-being, such as positive affect and life satisfaction. Several prominent goal- and need-based models of well-being in later life are discussed, which explicate mechanisms underlying trajectories of well-being at older ages. These are the model of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation, the Motivational Theory of Lifespan Development, Socio-emotional Selectivity Theory, Ryff’s model of Psychological Well-Being, Self-Determination Theory, and Self-Management of Well-being theory. Also, interventions based on these models are reviewed, although not all of them address older adults. It is concluded that the literature on well-being in later life is enormous, and, together with various conceptual models, offers many important insights. Still, the field would benefit from more theoretical integration, and from more attention to the development and testing of theory-based interventions. This remains a challenge for the science of well-being in later life, and could be an important contribution to the well-being of a still growing proportion of the population.


2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn L. Blue ◽  
David G. Marrero ◽  
David R. Black

This article describes the development and psychometric evaluation of behavioral belief, normative belief, and control belief scales, derived from the theory of planned behavior to predict physical activity intentions of persons at risk for diabetes. In Study 1, belief statements from interviews were categorized, ranked, and evaluated for item construction. Content validity was established by 96.1% agreement among a five-member expert panel. In Study 2, items developed from the belief statements were administered to 106 adults at risk for diabetes. Psychometric analyses provided evidence of construct validity and reliability of the three scales. Internal consistency was sufficient (α = .76-.95), and test-retest evaluations indicated scale stability ( r = .79-.91). Factor analyses and confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling provided evidence that the items were appropriately grouped under each construct. Researchers and practitioners can use these measures to assess behavioral, normative, and control beliefs about physical activity among persons at risk for diabetes.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e023332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruby Yu ◽  
Osbert Cheung ◽  
Jason Leung ◽  
Cecilia Tong ◽  
Kevin Lau ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo evaluate the psychometric properties of the Hong Kong version of Neighbourhood Cohesion Instrument (HK-NCI) and examine whether neighbourhood social cohesion as measured using HK-NCI would be associated with evaluative, hedonic and eudaemonic well-being.DesignA validation analysis followed by a cross-sectional analysis of a community-based survey.SettingCommunities in two districts (Sha Tin and Tai Po) in Hong Kong.Participants301 community-dwelling Chinese men and women aged 60 years and older normally residing in Sha Tin or Tai Po for not less than six consecutive months at the time of participation in the study were interviewed.MeasurementsNeighbourhood social cohesion was measured using the 15-item HK-NCI. The Social Cohesion Scale (SCS) and the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) were administered for assessing the validity of the HK-NCI. Evaluative (life satisfaction), hedonic (feelings of happiness) and eudaemonic well-being (sense of purpose and meaning in life) were examined. Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and health behaviours, medical history, and neighbourhood characteristics were used as covariates.ResultsFor homogeneity, internal consistency of HK-NCI (α=0.813) was good. For stability (test–retest reliability), the averages of mean scores of the 15 items suggested an acceptable repeatability with an intra-class correlation coefficient=0.701(95% CI 0.497 to 0.832). HK-NCI was correlated with SCS (r=0.515–0.635, p<0.001) and BSCS (r=0.500–0.612, p<0.001). Neighbourhood social cohesion was positively and independently associated with life satisfaction, feelings of happiness and sense of purpose and meaning in life (all p values <0.05). Stratified analyses indicated that neighbourhood social cohesion was more strongly associated with all dimensions of subjective well-being in ‘young-old’ subgroup, and with sense of purpose and meaning in life for women.ConclusionThe HK-NCI has adequate levels of internal consistency and test–retest reliability. In addition, higher levels of neighbourhood social cohesion were associated with better subjective well-being among older Chinese people.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S52-S52
Author(s):  
Shenghao Zhang ◽  
Shevaun D Neupert

Abstract We examine trait and state subjective aging as antecedents of control beliefs in older adults with a daily diary design. Adults (n=116) ranging in age from 60 to 90 (M=64.71) completed a nine-day daily diary study online. Participants reported trait aging attitudes (Attitudes Towards Own Aging; ATOA) on Day 1 and daily Awareness of Age-Related Change (AARC) of loss and gain experiences and control beliefs (Locus of Control and Perceived Competence) on Days 2-9. Controlling for demographics and known antecedents of control beliefs (health, stressors, emotional well-being, and cognition), daily increases in AARC gain were associated with increases in both Locus of Control and Perceived Competence, and a cross-level interaction revealed that Locus of Control decreased for those with more positive ATOA on days when they reported more AARC losses. Discussion will focus on interpreting the interaction between trait and state subjective aging.


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