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A salutogenic view on subjective well-being in active elderly persons
- Authors:
- WIESMANN Ulrich, HANNICH Hans-Joachim
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 12(1), January 2008, pp.56-65.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Subjective well-being as an indicator for successful aging is investigated from a salutogenic perspective that states that the sense of coherence plays a key role for psychological adaptation. It should be demonstrated that the sense of coherence mediates the relationship between generalized resistance resources and subjective well-being. One-hundred-and-seventy psychophysically active elderly persons (37 men) in Germany filled out a questionnaire assessing the sense of coherence, subjective well-being and resistance resources (such as age, education, physical health, activity level, social support and personality variables). It was found that resources co-varied with the sense of coherence and subjective well-being, accounting for 52 and 48% of the variance, respectively. The most important predictors were self-efficacy, self-esteem and education. After controlling for resources, the sense of coherence accounted for an additional 6% of the variance in well-being. The sense of coherence clearly mediated the relationship between resources and well-being. The findings corroborate the salutogenic idea that the sense of coherence creates, or maintains, a form of psychological integrity as represented by subjective well-being. The promotion of a strong sense of coherence should be a major aim of gerontological interventions.
Subjective health in old age from a salutogenic perspective
- Authors:
- WIESMANN Ulrich, NIEHORSTER Gabriele, HANNICH Hans-Joachim
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Health Psychology, 14(4), November 2009, pp.767-787.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Healthy aging was studied in a in community sample of elderly people using a salutogenic framework (Antonovsky's model). Salutogenic theory states that generalised resistance resources build-up a sense of coherence which in turn determines an individual's health level. The relationship between 19 bio-psychosocial resources (such as social support, emotional and motivational resources, activities of daily living, and sociodemographic resources), the sense of coherence (comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness), and three subjective health measures (psychological health, symptom reporting, and physical health) were examined in a cross-sectional questionnaire study with volunteering elders in Germany (n=387, mean age 74 years, 73.4% women and 22.2% nursing home residents). The method controlled for dependent living to account for the inclusion of nursing home residents. Resources, sense of coherence, and subjective health were inter-related. Optimism, self-esteem, low depressive mood, self-efficacy, and social support predicted the sense of coherence. When predicting psychological health and symptom reporting, the sense of coherence remained significant when resources were added in the final step of the regression; this did not hold true for physical health. Mediator analyses showed that every eligible resource influenced both psychological health and symptom reporting, but not physical health, indirectly via the sense of coherence. The sense of coherence was largely shaped by individual difference variables. As a mediator it strongly accounted for the relation between resources and psychogenic aspects of health but not physical health. The authors emphasise the importance of resource-oriented health care for elders.