Through Him and With Him? A Longitudinal Study of How God-Mediated Control Beliefs Shape the Relationship between Divine Forgiveness and Physical Health in Later Life

2021 ◽  
pp. 089826432199656
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Religion And Health ◽  
Aging And Health ◽  
Divine Forgiveness ◽  
The Relationship

Objectives: While there has been a recent surge in research on forgiveness and health, much less is known about the relationship between divine forgiveness and health. Methods: Using longitudinal data from the 2001–2004 Religion, Aging, and Health Survey from the United States, the current study assesses how changes in beliefs in God-mediated control, a perceived collaborative relationship with a divine power, affect the association between divine forgiveness and physical health among Christian older adults. Results: Older adults with consistently high beliefs in God-mediated control over the study period received stronger health benefits of divine forgiveness. Forgiveness by God also had a stronger relationship with health compared to forgiveness of self and others. Discussion: The findings underscore the importance of subjective beliefs about God. Future research directions are proposed to advance the study of religion and health in later life by conceiving of a more salient role for divine forgiveness.

scholarly journals Age Differences in the Relationship Between Daily Social Media Usage and Affect

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 410-410
Author(s):  
Xin Yao Lin ◽  
Margie Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Daily Time

Abstract Social media platforms allow people to connect and share content online (e.g., Facebook, Twitter). Although older adults are becoming more frequent users of social media, there continue to be mixed views on whether social media positively or negatively impacts well-being. Past studies have mainly focused on cross-sectional analyses for individual differences. However, both the time spent on social media and one’s affect can fluctuate on a daily basis. Thus, it is important to understand how the relationship between daily social media usage and affect varies within individuals from day to day. The current study adds to the literature by examining whether daily variations in time spent with social media are related to daily positive and negative affect and whether there are age differences in these relationships. The current study used an eight-day daily diary from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher dataset for 782 participants (ages 25-75). Multilevel modeling results revealed that age moderated the relationship between daily time spent on social media and negative affect: for younger adults, on days when they spent more time on social media, they had more negative affect. For older adults, on days when they spent more time on social media, they had less negative affect. Surprisingly, daily time spent on social media was not related to daily positive affect, nor did this relationship differ by age. Implications for future research are discussed with a focus on how social media usage can contribute to daily well-being for adults of different ages.

Living Environment, Mobility, and Wellbeing among Seniors in the United States: A New Interdisciplinary Dialogue

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 298-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shengxiao (Alex) Li
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
The United States ◽  
Transportation Systems ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Older Population ◽  
Demographic Profile ◽  
Interdisciplinary Dialogue ◽  
The Relationship

In view of the demographic profile of the older adults in the United States, in the next two decades, cities and communities need to adapt the form, environment, and transportation systems to accommodate the growing aging population. In this article, I review two streams of literature in the mobility among the older population: the mobility/living environment and wellbeing; the relationship between living environment and mobility. I argue that two streams of literature should be combined to inform an interdisciplinary dialogue and a new agenda for future research.

Religion and Spirituality in Gerontology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold G. Koenig
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Clinical Encounter ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Spiritual Needs ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
State Of The Science

This chapter provides a state-of-the-science review of research on religion, spirituality, and health in later life; examines avenues for future research; explores how religion or spirituality may arise in the patient encounter; and describes best practices in terms of assessing and addressing older adults’ spiritual needs related to illness. First, it summarizes quantitative research through 2010 on religion/spirituality (R/S) conducted in older adults in the areas of mental health and physical health. It then describes a selection of studies published within the past two years that illustrate the most recent findings on R/S and health among older adults, discusses research gaps in areas of mental and physical health, and explores high-priority studies needed to advance the field. It concludes with a case that illustrates how R/S may present in the clinical encounter and demonstrates best practices on how clinicians might sensitively and sensibly address this topic.

scholarly journals Do Control Beliefs Moderate the Relationship Between Function and Physical Activity?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 401-401
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Teas ◽  
Elliot Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Gait Speed ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Limited Effectiveness ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Most older adults get far less than recommended levels of physical activity (PA), and interventions to improve PA have limited effectiveness. Barriers to PA include reduced physical function (PF) and diminished feelings of control, but their interactive influences on PA in older adults are unclear. Using two methodologies, the current study determined whether control beliefs modify the relationship between PF and PA. Data were from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study; the sample was constrained to participants with PA greater than 0 (n= 955, mean age= 54.27). PF (grip strength, gait speed, and chair stands) was measured during a clinic visit. Participants were asked about routine PA, from which a Metabolic Equivalent of Task score was calculated, and the extent to which they believed they have control over their life (0-7 scale). In linear regression models, including interactions between control beliefs and PF variables, gait speed and control were associated with PA; none of the interaction terms were significant. The second model used a person-centered approach to explore the potential of non-linear relationships and differences in groups of people by creating typologies. The group with low control and slow gait speed had significantly lower PA than the other three groups. Results suggest nuanced associations among PA, PF, and control beliefs where feelings of control may compensate for slow gait speed in particular. They also support the use of person-centered approaches to identify non-linear associations between modifiable protective factors and key outcomes in aging research.

scholarly journals DISCRIMINATION AND DEPRESSION IN MID- TO LATE LIFE: THE ROLE OF OPTIMISM

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S315-S316
Author(s):  
Elliottnell Perez ◽  
Joseph Dzierzewski ◽  
Scott Ravyts
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Late Life ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Life Orientation Test ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract he positive association between discrimination and depression is well-supported throughout the literature. Previous evidence exploring potential mechanisms suggest discrimination is associated with depression via changes in social cognition. The goal of the current study was to investigate whether optimism explained the relationship between discrimination and depressive symptoms in mid-to-late life. Furthermore, the study assessed whether this mediated relationship was moderated by race or sex. This study included cross-sectional and longitudinal secondary data analysis of 2453 middle-aged and older adults (M age=68.30,SD=8.93) from the Midlife in the United States study. Discrimination was measured using an 11-item count of the number of discriminatory events experienced. Optimism was measured using the 6-item Life Orientation Test. Depressive symptoms were assessed using a 7-item count of the number of symptoms experienced. Optimism mediated the relationship between discrimination and depressive symptoms cross-sectionally, 95% CI:[.012, .034], and longitudinally, 95% CI:[.008, .024]. There was no evidence of moderated mediation; however, sex did moderate the direct relationship between discrimination and depressive symptoms cross-sectionally, b=.10, 95% CI:[.001, .194], and longitudinally, b=.03, 95% CI:[.01, .05]. The current study extends the literature by providing cross-sectional and longitudinal support for optimism as a mechanism through which discrimination leads to depressive symptoms in older adults. Evidence also suggests that women experience greater depressive symptoms than men in response to discrimination. Future research may wish to examine the developmental course of observed relationships and the impact of multiple marginalized identities on these relationships.

Memory Perceptions and Memory Performance in Adulthood and Aging

1985 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 179-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.F. Hultsch ◽  
R.A. Dixon ◽  
C. Hertzog
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Memory Functioning ◽  
Accurate Picture ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Affective Components ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

ABSTRACTEvidence is accumulating to suggest that peoples' perceptions of their own memories are important for understanding memory functioning in later life. This paper reviews two questionnaires designed to measure such perceptions, and identifies several research questions requiring further study. In general, memory perceptions appear to be multidimensional and involve belief and affective components as well as knowledge components. In addition, the relationship between memory perceptions and memory performance appears to differ as a function of age and type of task. Salient issues for future research include the extent to which older adults' memory perceptions show systematic state-like fluctuations over time, and the extent to which these perceptions represent an accurate picture of individuals' memory abilities.

scholarly journals Prosocial Behavior and Contributors to Older Adults’ Well-Being in Daily Life

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 613-614
Author(s):  
Jeanne Nakamura ◽  
Dwight Tse
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Experience Sampling ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract This symposium reports findings from a national experience-sampling study of 165 older adults (mean age=71, range=60-88 years) who are heavily involved in prosocial activity, contributing to their communities as leaders or high-commitment volunteers in social-purpose organizations. Gerontological research has linked prosocial activity to a set of positive outcomes for the older adults who engage in it (e.g., better health and reduced mortality), including global measures of well-being such as life satisfaction. However, little is known about the contributors to these individuals’ momentary well-being. Four presentations address this gap in knowledge. In the first presentation, Dwight Tse revisits the concept of successful aging as a within-person variable with day-to-day variations. Experience sampling data revealed great variations in successful aging indicators, and successful aging was associated with better well-being as hypothesized. In the second presentation, Ajit Mann extends beyond general control beliefs and explores the diversity in distribution of control beliefs across various daily activities (e.g., active leisure, prosocial activity, socializing, etc.), in addition to investigating the relationship between later life control diversity and subjective well-being. In the third presentation, Kelsey Finley explores Aristotle’s concept of the golden mean (an ideal state between deficiency and excess) for the number of hours spent in prosocial work on momentary well-being outcomes. In the fourth presentation, Jeanne Nakamura examines the relationship between global meaning in life and meaningful engagement in the moment, illuminating variation in this relationship through a comparison of the prosocial leaders and high-commitment volunteers.

scholarly journals A Quantitative Comparison of Social Interactions of Older Adults Pre-COVID-19 Between the United States and Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 453-453
Author(s):  
Mariko Nishikitani
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Senior Citizens ◽  
International Study ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Using the Study on the Lifestyle and Values of Senior Citizens (The Eighth International Study by the Japan Cabinet Office), the social interactions were assessed in the context of health and life satisfaction of the older adults of the U.S and Japan to confirm the relationship between ICT usage and social interactions. The less social interaction was defined as those who answered that they had no “role in the family,” “working,” or “social activities such as volunteering.” The proportion of less-social interaction people and non-use of ICT increased with age, but the proportions of Japanese were higher than that in Americans. The adjusted odds ratio for non-use of ICT to the risk of isolation of the older adults in Japan was 2.43 (95% CI: 1.59-3.73), but no significant relationship was observed in American older adults. Future research will examine the use of ICT by older adults in each country.

Refining Evidence-Based Treatments for Late-Life Depression

GeroPsych ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-76
Author(s):  
Grace C. Niu ◽  
Patricia A. Arean
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Brain Plasticity ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Aging Population ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Late Life Depression ◽  
Evidence Based Treatments

The recent increase in the aging population, specifically in the United States, has raised concerns regarding treatment for mental illness among older adults. Late-life depression (LLD) is a complex condition that has become widespread among the aging population. Despite the availability of behavioral interventions and psychotherapies, few depressed older adults actually receive treatment. In this paper we review the research on refining treatments for LLD. We first identify evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for LLD and the problems associated with efficacy and dissemination, then review approaches to conceptualizing mental illness, specifically concepts related to brain plasticity and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoc). Finally, we introduce ENGAGE as a streamlined treatment for LLD and discuss implications for future research.

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