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Adjustment to aging and subjective well-being in an older cross-national community-dwelling sample
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Objectivos: O presente trabalho teve como objectivos conceptualizar o ajustamento ao
envelhecimento (AaE), e construir um modelo estrutural para as variáveis predictoras do AaE
e do bem-estar subjectivo (BES) na adultícia avançada.
Método: Este trabalho compreendeu três etapas: a revisão sistemática da literatura; o estudo
exploratório qualitativo; e o estudo quantitativo. Na revisão sistemática para o AaE e o BES
na idade avançada, uma extensa pesquisa foi realizada, utilizando bases de dados relevantes.
Na etapa qualitativa exploratória, um total de 253 participantes foram entrevistados acerca do
seu AaE e a sua idade subjectiva. Adicionalmente foram analisadas 154 entrevistas acerca da
percepção de espiritualidade dos idosos, no contexto do AaE. Na etapa quantitativa, uma
amostra de 1291 idosos, com idades entre 75 e 102 anos, não institucionalizados e de
diferentes nacionalidades participaram neste estudo. Os participantes preencheram a escala
proposta e os instrumentos validados respeitantes ao AaE, BES e ao sentido interno de
coerência.
Resultados: Na revisão sistemática do AaE, foram seleccionados 13 artigos a partir de um
total de 1291, enquanto no BES, 14 artigos foram seleccionados a partir de 616 artigos. Estes
preencheram os critérios de inclusão e englobaram um total de 18.253 participantes no total,
em ambas as revisões. Os resultados do estudo qualitativo revelaram que "sentido
existencial", foi a resposta de AaE mais frequente. O conceito 'ajustamento e idade' foi
explicado por um modelo distinto para cada nacionalidade envolvida. A espiritualidade foi
elucidada por um modelo com três factores. Os resultados obtidos pelo estudo quantitativo
indicaram uma escala de AaE de cinco factores e 22 itens factores, com boas propriedades
psicométricas (em termos de propriedades de distribuição, pesos factoriais estatisticamente
significativos, validade factorial, convergente, discriminante, de critério e externa, e
fiabilidade). Cinco factores foram apurados para a escala AaE: (a) sentido de propósito e
ambições; (b) zest e espiritualidade; (c) corpo e saúde; (d) aging in place e estabilidade; e (e)
suporte social. Adicionalmente, os resultados indicaram que a espiritualidade foi a variável
predictora mais forte em ambos os modelos estruturais do AaE e do BES.
Conclusões: Os resultados apresentados no estudo qualitativo enfatizaram a necessidade de
um entendimento profundo das percepções do AaE e da idade subjectiva, de um modelo para
o ‘ajustamento e idade’, destacando a pertinência da espiritualidade para o AaE. Os resultados
do estudo quantitativo evidenciaram a escala de AaE como um instrumento trans-cultural,
originalmente desenvolvido, com validade e fiabilidade e com aplicação na pesquisa e prática
clínica na área da saúde. Finalmente, esta investigação destacou a necessidade de explorar as
variáveis predictoras do AaE e BES, em especial a espiritualidade. Investigações futuras e
abordagens clínicas com esta faixa etária deverão integrar o AaE e o BES como constructos
multi-dimensionais pertinentes em diferentes contextos culturais para a promoção de um
envelhecimento adequado, num contexto salutogénico de saúde.
ABSTRACT: Objectives: The present research intended to conceptualize adjustment to aging (AtA) and to build a structural model for AtA and subjective well-being’s (SWB) predictors, respectively in late adulthood. Methods: This research comprised three stages of work: a systematic literature review; an exploratory qualitative study; and a cross-sectional quantitative study. Concerning the systematic review for AtA and SWB in old age, an extensive search was conducted using relevant databases. Regarding the exploratory qualitative study, a total of 253 participants were initially interviewed about their AtA and subjective age. Additionally, 154 interviews were analyzed concerning older adults’ perceptions of spirituality, within AtA. Furthermore, a cross-national older community-dwelling sample of 1291 older adults, aged between 75 and 102 years participated in this study. These participants filled in the proposed scale and validated instruments to assess AtA, SWB and sense of coherence. Results: Regarding AtA, 13 articles from 1,291 records, whilst as to SWB, 14 articles from 616 records, met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 18,253 participants in total for both reviews. Findings from the initial qualitative study showed that ‘existential meaning’ was the most prevalent AtA response. ‘Adjustment and age’ was explained by two cross-nationally distinct models. Moreover, ‘spirituality’ was explained by a three-factor model. The results from the quantitative study indicated that the 22-item 5-factor AtA scale showed good psychometric properties (in terms of distributional properties, statistical significant factor weights, factorial, convergent, discriminant criterion and external related validities, and reliability). Five factors were selected for the AtA Scale: (a) sense of purpose and ambitions (b) zest and spirituality; (c) body and health; (d) aging in place and stability; and (e) social support. Additionally, findings showed that spirituality was the strongest predictor in both structural models of AtA and SWB. Conclusions: The findings presented in the qualitative study emphasized the need for a better understanding of the perceptions of older adults’ AtA and subjective age and of an ‘adjustment and age’ overall model. Additionally, the outcomes highlighted the potential of spirituality to AtA. Results from the quantitative study evidenced AtA Scale as a new, reliable and valid cross-cultural instrument for research and clinical practice in health care. Finally, this research highlighted the need for deepening the predictors for ATA and SWB, in particular spirituality. Future research should address AtA and SWB, as being pertinent crossnational and multi-dimensional constructs for promoting aging well in later life, within a salutogenic context for health.
Tese submetida como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Doutoramento em Psicologia - Área de especialidade Psicologia da Saúde
ABSTRACT: Objectives: The present research intended to conceptualize adjustment to aging (AtA) and to build a structural model for AtA and subjective well-being’s (SWB) predictors, respectively in late adulthood. Methods: This research comprised three stages of work: a systematic literature review; an exploratory qualitative study; and a cross-sectional quantitative study. Concerning the systematic review for AtA and SWB in old age, an extensive search was conducted using relevant databases. Regarding the exploratory qualitative study, a total of 253 participants were initially interviewed about their AtA and subjective age. Additionally, 154 interviews were analyzed concerning older adults’ perceptions of spirituality, within AtA. Furthermore, a cross-national older community-dwelling sample of 1291 older adults, aged between 75 and 102 years participated in this study. These participants filled in the proposed scale and validated instruments to assess AtA, SWB and sense of coherence. Results: Regarding AtA, 13 articles from 1,291 records, whilst as to SWB, 14 articles from 616 records, met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 18,253 participants in total for both reviews. Findings from the initial qualitative study showed that ‘existential meaning’ was the most prevalent AtA response. ‘Adjustment and age’ was explained by two cross-nationally distinct models. Moreover, ‘spirituality’ was explained by a three-factor model. The results from the quantitative study indicated that the 22-item 5-factor AtA scale showed good psychometric properties (in terms of distributional properties, statistical significant factor weights, factorial, convergent, discriminant criterion and external related validities, and reliability). Five factors were selected for the AtA Scale: (a) sense of purpose and ambitions (b) zest and spirituality; (c) body and health; (d) aging in place and stability; and (e) social support. Additionally, findings showed that spirituality was the strongest predictor in both structural models of AtA and SWB. Conclusions: The findings presented in the qualitative study emphasized the need for a better understanding of the perceptions of older adults’ AtA and subjective age and of an ‘adjustment and age’ overall model. Additionally, the outcomes highlighted the potential of spirituality to AtA. Results from the quantitative study evidenced AtA Scale as a new, reliable and valid cross-cultural instrument for research and clinical practice in health care. Finally, this research highlighted the need for deepening the predictors for ATA and SWB, in particular spirituality. Future research should address AtA and SWB, as being pertinent crossnational and multi-dimensional constructs for promoting aging well in later life, within a salutogenic context for health.
Tese submetida como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Doutoramento em Psicologia - Área de especialidade Psicologia da Saúde
Description
Tese submetida como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Doutoramento em Psicologia -
Área de especialidade Psicologia da Saúde
Keywords
Psicologia da saúde Ajustamento ao envelhecimento Envelhecer bem Idosos Bem-estar subjectivo Health psychology Adjustment to aging Aging well Older adults Subjective well-being
Citation
Publisher
ISPA - Instituto Universitário das Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida