Existential Meaning in Life and Positive Psychological Functioning

2017 ◽  
pp. 220-235
Author(s):  
Andrew G. Christy ◽  
Grace Rivera ◽  
Kaiyuan Chen ◽  
Joshua A. Hicks
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Existential Meaning ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning

scholarly journals Continuing to participate in the dance of life as oneself: The lived experience of meaning in life for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Dewitte ◽  
Els van Wijngaarden ◽  
Tine Schellekens ◽  
Mathieu Vandenbulcke ◽  
Jessie Dezutter
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Personal Perspective ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Original Insight

Abstract Background and Objectives Meaning in life is an important aspect of positive psychological functioning for older adults. Limited work suggests the relevance of the experience of meaning for people with dementia, but research into this experience from their personal perspective is lacking. The current study provides an in-depth investigation of the lived experience of meaning in life for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease. Research Design and Methods The study was conducted following the phenomenological reflective lifeworld approach. In-depth interviews were conducted with sixteen older adults (+65) with Alzheimer’s disease living either at home or in a nursing home in Belgium. Data-analysis was an iterative process aimed at illuminating the constituents and essence of the phenomenon. Results The essence of the experience of meaning in life for participants was understood as ‘continuing to participate in the dance of life as oneself.’ This experience was further clarified in four closely intertwined constituents: (1) feeling connected and involved, (2) continuing everyday life as oneself, (3) calmly surrendering and letting go, and (4) desiring freedom, growth, and invigoration. Discussion and Implications Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of meaning in life as experienced by older adults with Alzheimer’s disease themselves. They emphasize the relevance of the concept for psychological dementia research and offer original insight for the inclusion of meaning in life as an important aspect of holistic dementia care.

Positive psychology constructs as predictors of depression in retirees

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 995-1017 ◽  
Author(s):  
NICOLE ALLENDEN ◽  
PETER BOMAN ◽  
AMANDA MERGLER ◽  
MICHAEL J. FURLONG
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Hard Copy ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychological Constructs ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning ◽  
Predictors Of Depression

ABSTRACTThis study investigated whether five positive psychological constructs (self-efficacy, gratitude, grit, hope and optimism) had a combined effect on levels of depression. The co-occurrence of these psychological factors, defined as an example of covitality, was examined in relation to predicting lower levels of depression. Participants were 278 retirees living in Brisbane, Australia. Each participant completed either an online or hard-copy self-report, related to positive psychological functioning. A standard multiple regression found that self-efficacy, grit, optimism and hope were individually all significant predictors of depression (small effect sizes); however, the combinatorial relation of all these four factors with depression was substantial (R2 = 0.34; large effect size). Gratitude was not a significant predictor. While no causality can be inferred from this cross-sectional study, having a combination of positive psychological factors might have an effect on levels of depression in retirement.

Measuring Psychological Well-Being in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging

2001 ◽  
Vol 13 (S1) ◽  
pp. 79-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa J. Clarke ◽  
Victor W. Marshall ◽  
Carol D. Ryff ◽  
Blair Wheaton
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Internal Consistency Reliability ◽  
Factor Analyses ◽  
Canadian Study ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Multidimensional Measure ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning ◽  
Confirmatory Factor

The Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CHSA) provided an opportunity to examine the positive aspects of aging. CHSA-2 included the 18-item Ryff multidimensional measure of well-being, which taps six core theoretical dimensions of positive psychological functioning. The measure was administered to 4,960 seniors without severe cognitive impairment or dementia at CSHA-2. Intercorrelations across scales were generally low. At the same time, the internal consistency reliability of each of the 6 subscales was not found to be high. Confirmatory factor analyses provide support for a 6-factor model, although some items demonstrate poor factor loadings. The well-being measures in CSHA-2 provide an opportunity to examine broad, descriptive patterns of well-being in Canadian seniors.

scholarly journals Psychological Well-Being across Gender and Socio-Economic Status among Middle Adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reshma. N. S. ◽  
Manjula. M. Y.
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Status Group ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Self Acceptance

Psychological well-being can be referred to as positive psychological functioning, which involves multidimensional constructs as well as the degree to which an individual perceives himself/herself as functioning well on areas like self acceptance, environmental mastery, personal growth and positive relationships. The current study aims at exploring psychological well-being across gender and socio-economic status among middle adults. The study consists of 266 middle adults (male=101, females=168) selected from 3 different socio-economic status groups (high=75, middle=114, low=77). The sample was drawn from urban population from Mangalore city. The age of the sample ranged between 40-55 yrs. Kuppuswamy’s socio-economic status scale (R-2012) and psychological well-being scale by Seema Mehrotra (2013) were administered. The data was analyzed using two-way ANOVA and post hoc test of least significant difference. The results revealed that women have significantly higher positive relations than men. Findings related to different socio-economic groups revealed that, adults belonging to high socio-economic status groups have significantly higher self-acceptance, mastery & competency, engagement & growth and overall psychological well-being compared to adults from low socio-economic status group, and significantly higher mastery & competency, overall psychological well-being than middle socio-economic status group. Middle socio-economic group adults have significantly higher self-acceptance, engagement & growth, and overall psychological well-being when compared to adults from low socio-economic status group.

scholarly journals Relationship between lifestyle and positive psychological functioning in university administrative staff

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 57-69
Author(s):  
Joel Omar González-Cantero ◽  
Victor Hugo González-Becerra ◽  
Carmen Elvira Hernández-Magaña ◽  
Fabiola Macías-Espinoza ◽  
José Ángel Morón-Vera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Administrative Staff ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning

In Mexico, healthy lifestyle has a low prevalence. The importance of a healthy lifestyle lies in avoiding the emergence of a chronic non-communicable disease. Thus, university administrative personnel are a vulnerable population due to working conditions that prevent them from having a healthy lifestyle, so it is necessary to analyze psychological variables that can explain how to promote and develop a healthy lifestyle. The purposes of this study were to identify relationships among lifestyle (LS) and positive psychological functioning (PPF) and their differences by gender in the administrative staff; a cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted. University administrative staff (n = 102), were recruited using the snowball sampling method, forming a non-probabilistic sample, completed the Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire and the Positive Psychological Functioning Scale. LS has a statistically significant correlation with PPF (r = .355, p = .001); in addition, it is worth pointing out that showing a low level of PPF implies a lower probability of having a healthy LS (Ψ = 28.333, 4.965 – 161.675). Results suggest the relevance of interventions to develop psychological resources in people seeking the adoption of a healthy LS.

Moving beyond promoting ‘Happiness’ in gerontology interventions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick L Hill ◽  
Anthony L Burrow ◽  
Mathias Allemand
Keyword(s):  
Older Adult ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Sense Of Purpose ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning ◽  
Adult Participants

Abstract Researchers have called for gerontologists to spend greater attention on promoting happiness in older adulthood, a point aligned with the general public’s interest in finding the keys to being happy later in life. However, targeting and even defining happiness comes with several caveats and challenges, leaving researchers to make difficult decisions regarding measurement and intervention strategies. Instead, the current commentary suggests that gerontology interventions may fare better if researchers focus on specific components of positive psychological functioning. We present sense of purpose and life enjoyment as examples of two such components, and note the potential merit in developing these more focussed intervention programmes. As such, the commentary suggests the value of moving beyond targeting happiness when developing intervention programmes for older adult participants.

Feeling authentic during playing pickleball in later life: Predicting positive psychological functioning

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-205
Author(s):  
Jungsu Ryu ◽  
Jinmoo Heo ◽  
Chungsup Lee ◽  
Amy Chan Hyung Kim ◽  
Kyung Min Kim
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Positive Psychological Functioning
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