Perceived Autobiographical Coherence Predicts Depressive Symptoms Over Time Through Positive Self–Concept

The coherence of autobiographical memories plays an important role in psychological well-being, as borne out by recent studies. This study aimed to advance this understanding by assessing whether coherence predicted depressive symptoms over time in adults. Further, it aimed to specify mediators through which this association might occur, namely psychological resources of self-esteem self-efficacy, meaning in life, and optimism. A sample of 160 participants (M age = 26.4, SD = 3.2, 58.1% women) completed surveys at three time-points spaced 1 week apart. The surveys contained measures of the perceived coherence of life stories and autobiographical memories, psychological resources, and depressive symptoms. The results of a path analysis model, controlling for depressive symptoms at baseline, indicated that perceived causal coherence was the only unique predictor of later depressive symptoms, and that this occurred through positive self-concept, represented by self-esteem and self-efficacy. Limitations of the study include no examination of cultural background as a moderating factor and the short time-intervals. Overall, the findings provide further evidence that the perception of how events have unfolded and impacted on one's life and sense of self is particularly important in mitigating depressive symptoms. It extends on our understanding by showing this occurs through changes in self-concept.

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Analysis of Self-Concept in Older Adults in Different Contexts

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.20.4.262 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 262-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Manuel de Gracia Blanco ◽

Josep Garre Olmo ◽

María Marcó Arbonès ◽

Pilar Monreal Bosch

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Nursing Home ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

External Validity ◽

Aging Process ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Concept ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Discriminatory Capacity

Summary: Self-concept is a construct consisting of a group of specific self-perceptions that are hierarchically organized. Age-associated changes of self-concept are related to the individual's perception of the changes occurring throughout the aging process. The authors examined external validity and internal consistency of an instrument that has been developed to assess self-concept in older adults and examined self-concept's characteristics in two different contexts. Results confirm the multidimensionality of the scale and show a satisfactory external validity, indicating good discriminatory capacity. Findings support the hypothesis that older people who live in a nursing home have a poor self-esteem, self-concept, and psychological well-being and have a greater presence of depressive symptoms than people who live in their own home.

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EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS: DOES GENDER MATTER?

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.3389 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S931-S931

Author(s):

Celeste Beaulieu ◽

Jeffrey E Stokes

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Gender Differences ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Concept ◽

Everyday Activities ◽

Retirement Study

Abstract Previous research has suggested that informal socializing can be beneficial for mental health, whereas prior findings concerning solitary activities and mental health have been equivocal. Activity theory posits that involvement in activities – particularly social activities – can improve adults’ self-concept and self-esteem, leading to improved well-being. Solitary activities may perform the same function, though without any social reinforcement. However, social engagement and mental health may both vary by gender. Thus, we examined associations of informal socializing and solitary activities with depressive symptoms among 13,387 respondents of the 2012/2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, and further assessed potential gender differences. Results revealed that both informal socializing and solitary activities were significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms when analyzed separately. However, when both types of activities were modeled simultaneously, only informal socializing remained significant. Further, stratified analyses revealed that informal socializing was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms among women but not men, although these coefficients were not significantly different from each other. Overall, findings suggest that both informal socializing and solitary activities may be beneficial for mental health, yet results were clearly stronger for informal socializing. Socializing may benefit mental health not only by bolstering one’s self-concept, but also by linking adults with social ties and support networks that are instrumental for well-being in mid- and later life. Moreover, gender differences in effects were minimal and largely non-significant, indicating that activity involvement can bolster mental health for men and women alike.

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Self-esteem, self-efficacy, and optimism as psychological resources among caregivers of people with dementia: findings from the IDEAL study

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610219001236 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (9) ◽

pp. 1259-1266 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Ruth A. Lamont ◽

Catherine Quinn ◽

Sharon M. Nelis ◽

Anthony Martyr ◽

Jennifer M. Rusted ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Psychological Resilience ◽

Psychological Resources ◽

Living Well ◽

People With Dementia ◽

Moderate Dementia ◽

Poor Outcomes ◽

Group Sex

ABSTRACTObjectives:Being a family caregiver, and in particular giving care to someone with dementia, impacts mental and physical health and potentially reduces the ability of caregivers to “live well.” This paper examines whether three key psychological resources—self-efficacy, optimism, and self-esteem—are associated with better outcomes for caregivers of people with dementia.Design and Participants:Caregivers of 1,283 people with mild-to-moderate dementia in the Improving the Experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) project responded to measures of self-efficacy, optimism, and self-esteem, and “living well” (quality of life, life satisfaction, and well-being). Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the association between psychological resources and “living well”.Results:Self-efficacy, optimism, and self-esteem were all independently associated with better capability to “live well” for caregivers. This association persisted when accounting for a number of potential confounding variables (age group, sex, and hours of caregiving per day).Conclusions:Low self-efficacy, optimism, and self-esteem might present a risk of poor outcomes for caregivers of people with dementia. These findings encourage us to consider how new or established interventions might increase the psychological resilience of caregivers.

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A Longitudinal Study of Relations Among Adolescents’ Self-Esteem, General Self-Efficacy, Career Adaptability, and Life Satisfaction

Journal of Career Development ◽

10.1177/0894845319861691 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 089484531986169 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jenny Marcionetti ◽

Jérôme Rossier

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

The Other ◽

Career Adaptability ◽

Career Concern ◽

The Impact ◽

General Self Efficacy ◽

Over Time

Self-esteem, general self-efficacy, and career adaptability, which include career concern, control, curiosity, and confidence, are important resources for adolescents who are required to make important educational and professional choices. No studies have investigated how these resources codevelop over time and their impact on life satisfaction. To more precisely study this codevelopment and the impact of these resources on well-being, 357 Swiss adolescents were assessed 3 times during the last 17 months of compulsory school. The results showed an interrelationship between career adaptability and self-efficacy and a unidirectional effect of self-esteem on life satisfaction over time. They also highlighted the importance of career adapt-ability concerns for predicting the other three career adapt-abilities. Overall, the results suggested that in adolescents, higher levels of career adaptability may favor higher levels of general self-efficacy and that higher levels of self-esteem may induce higher levels of life satisfaction. Implications for practice are discussed.

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A Study on Self-esteem, Self-efficacy, and Subjective well-being of University Freshmen

Contemporary Research Trend of Education ◽

10.21742/asehl.2016.5.06 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Kwang-soon Kang ◽

◽

Sun-sik Roh ◽

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Subjective Well Being

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Using the Life Story Book With Mentally Alert Residents of Nursing Homes

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1574 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 487-487

Author(s):

Theresa Chrisman

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Nursing Homes ◽

Meaning In Life ◽

Life Story ◽

Well Being ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Wilks Lambda ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Hispanic White

Abstract Depression and lack of meaning in life (MIL) are common among residents of nursing homes (NHs) and contribute to a reduction in overall health and well-being. Life Story Book (LSB), a reminiscence intervention, is designed to provide a person with the opportunity to review their past and capture their life stories and photographs into a book. LSB has demonstrated positive outcomes for residents of NHs with dementia, yet little is known for residents without dementia. A switching replication design was used to examine the effects of LSB among 21 mentally alert residents from two NHs (NH-A and NH-B) in Houston, Texas. Participants in NH-A received three weeks of the LSB intervention, while NH-B received three weeks of care-as-usual; the intervention was then switched. The GDS-12R and the MIL questionnaire (MLQ) were used to measure depressive symptoms and MIL respectively. Participants from NH-A (n =11) and NH-B (n = 10) had a mean age of 75 years (SD =11.34); 81% female; 52% non-Hispanic white and 33% African American. Results from a one-way MANCOVA found no statistically significant difference on the GDS-12R and MLQ (F(3, 14) = 2.50, p = .102; Wilks’ Lambda = .652; η2 = .35). Further analyses comparing the pre-intervention and post-intervention scores for the entire sample (N =21) found a significant reduction in depressive symptoms (M = 2.67; SD = 2.52) and (M =1.67, SD = 2.29); (t (20) = 2.21, p = 0.039). The potential benefits of LSB for mentally alert residents of NHs warrants further research.

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Self-Leadership and Psychological Capital as Key Cognitive Resources for Shaping Health-Protective Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Administrative Sciences ◽

10.3390/admsci11020041 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 41

Author(s):

Sherry A. Maykrantz ◽

Luke A. Langlinais ◽

Jeffery D. Houghton ◽

Christopher P. Neck

Keyword(s):

Self Efficacy ◽

Cognitive Theory ◽

Psychological Capital ◽

Health Belief ◽

Well Being ◽

Cognitive Resources ◽

Psychological Resources ◽

Protective Behaviors ◽

Theoretical Frameworks ◽

And Coping

As COVID-19 has become a global pandemic, health researchers and practitioners have focused attention on identifying the factors that may help to shape health-protective behaviors, protecting individual health and well-being, and helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This study explores the potential role of self-leadership and psychological capital (PsyCap) as key cognitive resources for shaping health-protective behaviors. Using multiple theoretical frameworks (social cognitive theory, psychological resources theory, and the health belief model), this paper develops and tests a hypothesized serial mediation model in which PsyCap and coping self-efficacy mediate the relationship between self-leadership and health-protective behaviors including hand washing, wearing face masks, and social distancing. Results suggest that PsyCap and coping self-efficacy mediate the positive relationship between self-leadership and health-protective behaviors. These results yield valuable insights regarding the usefulness of self-leadership and PsyCap as cognitive resources for shaping health-protective behaviors and for possible self-leadership and PsyCap interventions, potentially tailored to at-risk populations, which should have practical benefits for both the current and future pandemics and health crises.

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Rasgos de personalidad y recursos psicológicos como predictores del bienestar emocional en adolescentes con y sin formación en escuelas de tauromaquia

Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica ◽

10.5944/rppc.vol.23.num.1.2018.18494 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Pilar Sanjuan ◽

David Guillen ◽

Ana María Pérez-García

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Problem Solving ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Well Being ◽

Openness To Experience ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological Resources ◽

Avoidance Coping ◽

School Group

Abstract: Personality traits and psychological resources as predictors of emotional well-being in adolescents with and without training in bullfighting schools. The main objective of this study was to analyse how being in training in bullfighting schools can affect the emotional well-being (EW), the personality and the psychological resources of adolescents. The sample consisted of 196 boys, 95 from bullfighting school group (BSG) and 101 from a control group (CG). The BSG, in relation to CG, scored significantly more on conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness to experience, as well as on self-efficacy, problem-solving (PSC) and social support coping (SSC), and EW. The EW was predicted by feeling self-efficacy and not using avoidance coping, and in the CG by being extraverted, showing conscientiousness, being low in neuroticism, feeling self-efficacy and using PSC and SSC. It discusses the psychological adaptive profile of adolescents in the BSG and the need to promote well-being in adolescence through the promotion of self-efficacy and active coping.Resumen: El objetivo principal de este estudio fue analizar cómo la formación en escuelas de tauromaquia puede afectar al bienestar emocional (BE), la personalidad y los recursos psicológicos de los adolescentes. Participaron 196 chicos, 95 del grupo de escuelas taurinas (GET) y 101 del grupo control (GC). El GET, en relación con el GC, puntuaba significativamente más en tesón, afabilidad y apertura, así como en autoeficacia, afrontamiento de solución de problemas (ASP) y basado en los demás (AD), y BE. El BE se predecía en el GET por sentirse eficaz y no usar el afrontamiento de evitación, y en el GC por ser extravertido, mostrar tesón, ser bajo en neuroticismo, sentirse eficaz y emplear el ASP y AD. Se discute sobre el perfil psicológico adaptativo que presentan los adolescentes del GET y la necesidad de promover el bienestar en la adolescencia mediante el fomento de la autoeficacia y el afrontamiento activo.

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