Generativity among young, midlife, and older adults.

Generativity is conceived as a configuration of psychosocial features constellated around the goal of providing for the next generation. This study used a stratified random sampling of young (ages 22–27 yrs), midlife (ages 37–42 yrs), and older (ages 67–72 yrs) adults to examine age–cohort differences in 4 generativity features: generative concern, commitments, actions, and narration. Although prevailing views on generativity (e.g., E. H. Erikson, 1963) predict a peak in midlife and decline thereafter, support for this developmental hypothesis was mixed. Midlife Ss scored higher than young and older Ss on concern and actions in a second administration of measures, but not in the first. Generative commitments and narration showed high scores for both midlife and older Ss and relatively low scores for young Ss. Generative concern, assessed with the Loyola Generativity Scale, was positively associated with life satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adjustment after spinal cord injury: Relationship to gender and race.

The 2 primary goals of the current study were: (1) to generate data on gender and race differences on subjective well-being (life satisfaction, adjustment, and problems) and (2) to develop an improved measure of subjective outcomes after spinal cord injury. Ss were 125 Caucasian females, 109 Caucasian males, 96 minority males, and 30 minority females who completed the multidimensional adjustment profile (MAP). Mean age of Ss was 38.8 yrs. 10 subjective scales were developed from the MAP, 9 of which were based on factor analysis of sets of 20 life satisfaction items and 31 problem items. Compared with minority Ss, Caucasian Ss reported higher levels of career satisfaction and fewer problems with skills deficit and financial limitations. Interactions between gender and race were observed for 3 scales (emotional distress, physical discomfort, and adjustment), with more positive scores reported by minority males and Caucasian females. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Shoulder dystocia. Literature review, 28 cases]

We surveyed a stratified random sample of 205 person from 45,500 residents, aged 65 years or older, in a city of Japan using an interview schedule including scales of active-life orientation, social activities and other covariates. A total of 157 (77%) participated in the study. The main results were as follows: 1) Significantly higher scores of active-life orientation were observed in those who currently worked, than in those who did not work in males and females (p < 0.05). In males, scores of active-life orientation were significantly higher in those who had hobbies than in those who did not (p < 0.05); in those who traveled during the past year than in those who did not (p < 0.05). 2) In multiple linear regression analysis, PGC scale scores positively and significantly correlated with score of active orientation in males and females (p < 0.05). Age negatively correlated with the scores in males. Scores of affiliation orientation positively correlated with scores of active orientation, and satisfaction with available social support negatively correlated with the scores in females (p < 0.05).     

Subjective well-being evaluations among older Black Americans.

The causal relations among social status and resource, health, and stress factors, and a single-item measure of subjective well-being (i.e., happiness) were examined among a national sample of 581 Black adults aged 55 years and over. Results indicated that although social status and resource factors had a limited impact on happiness ratings, these measures were important in predicting intermediate factors related to health status and satisfaction and stress. Happiness was directly influenced by stress and reported satisfaction with health, whereas the effect of health disability was mediated by stress and health satisfaction. The findings suggest that certain groups of older Blacks (i.e., relatively younger, widowed, and separated) may be at specific risk for diminished well-being. However, adverse health and life conditions, which are determined by status and resources, represent circumstances that further jeopardize the well-being of older Black adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Regret intensity, diurnal cortisol secretion, and physical health in older individuals: Evidence for directional effects and protective factors.

Two studies were conducted to examine the associations between life regrets and health-relevant variables among older adults. Study 1 explored whether intense experiences of regret would be associated with a health-relevant biological process (i.e., diurnal cortisol secretion) and acute physical problems (N = 183). In Study 2, a group of 103 older adults was followed over a period of 3 months, and changes in cold symptoms and sleep problems were examined. Study 2 incorporated an experimental manipulation, targeted at engaging participants in adaptive social- cognitive processes through writing. The results of Study 1 showed intense life regrets to be associated with a larger volume and a steeper morning rise of cortisol secretion and with higher levels of acute physical symptoms. Study 2 demonstrated that levels of regret intensity generally declined only in the experimental group, whereas certain aspects of regret intensity remained stable in the control group. In addition, the intervention evidenced a beneficial effect on the association between initial regret intensity and increased sleep problems over time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender-nonconforming lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth: School victimization and young adult psychosocial adjustment.

Past research documents that both adolescent gender nonconformity and the experience of school victimization are associated with high rates of negative psychosocial adjustment. Using data from the Family Acceptance Project's young adult survey, we examined associations among retrospective reports of adolescent gender nonconformity and adolescent school victimization due to perceived or actual lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) status, along with current reports of life satisfaction and depression. The participants included 245 LGBT young adults ranging in age from 21 to 25 years. Using structural equation modeling, we found that victimization due to perceived or actual LGBT status fully mediates the association between adolescent gender nonconformity and young adult psychosocial adjustment (i.e., life satisfaction and depression). Implications are addressed, including specific strategies that schools can implement to provide safer environments for gender-nonconforming LGBT students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Life regrets and current goals as predictors of psychological adjustment.

Life regrets and current goals were examined as predictors of psychological adjustment in a sample of 155 Ss who rated these constructs along 13 theoretically derived dimensions. Relative to regrets, goals were perceived as more impactful, important, controllable, achievable, socially supported, and desirable, and as occupying more time and energy. Hierarchical regression models indicated that regret ratings account for an additional 19.8% of the variance in life satisfaction and 11.9% of the variance in depression scores after removing the variance attributed to goal ratings. Furthermore, regrets contributed to the prediction of psychological adjustment after controlling for negative affectivity. A content analysis of respondents' regrets is presented and related to chronological age and gender. A goal-based reformulation of regrets is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term outcomes and life satisfaction of adults who had pediatric spinal cord injuries

OBJECTIVE: To determine long-term outcomes and life satisfaction of adults who sustained pediatric spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Structured interview of adults who were 25 years or older who had pediatric SCI. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 46 patients from a total of 81 patients who received care in an SCI program: 1 refused participation, 4 died, and 30 were lost to follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A structured questionnaire including physical, psychosocial, and medical information. The Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique and two measures of life satisfaction were also administered. RESULTS: Participants were 25 to 34 years old, mean 27 years. Thirty-two had tetraplegia and 14 had paraplegia. Thirty-one were men. Mean years of education was 14. Fifty-four percent were employed, 48% lived independently, and 15% were married. Life satisfaction was associated with education, income, satisfaction with employment, and social/recreation opportunities, and was inversely associated with some medical complications. Life satisfaction was not significantly associated with level of injury, age at injury, or duration of injury. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals who had pediatric SCI, much like adult-onset SCI, have the greatest opportunity for a satisfying adult life if rehabilitation emphasizes psychosocial factors such as education, employment, and long-term health management.     

Psychological characteristics of subjects identified by platelet MAO activity and evoked potentials as biologically at risk for psychopathology.

Using a biological high-risk paradigm, "at risk" Ss were chosen from 375 college students on the basis of extremely low blood platelet MAO activity levels. The sample comprised 19 low and 17 high MAO males and 17 low and 15 high MAO females. These groups were further subdivided on the basis of their augmenting/reducing evoked potentials (EPs). Psychological tests assessing dimensions relevant to schizophrenia and affective illness were administered (e.g., thought process, relation to reality, sense of identity, interpersonal relations, affect, and stress), and the scores were factor analyzed. As expected, low MAO males scored significantly higher on a General Psychopathology factor. Moreover, the subgroup of males who theoretically would be at risk for schizophrenia (low MAO with reducing EPs) gave significantly more remote word associations than the high MAO augmenters. This interaction effect of MAO and EPs was also significant for females. Significant sex differences were found on the Mania factor (the males were more active) and Remote Associations factor (males gave more remote associations). In addition, a significant interaction of sex and MAO on the General Psychopathology factor was found, with the low MAO males and high MAO females scoring in the more pathological direction. (55 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Teaching resourcefulness skills to older adults

With rapidly increasing numbers of elders in the United States, there is a growing need for interventions to promote independence and productive, healthy lifestyles among the elderly. Highly resourceful persons have been found to function better in their daily activities than those who lack resourcefulness skills. These skills, including self-controlling techniques and problem-solving, are believed to be learned and therefore can be taught. This pilot study examined the effects of teaching resourcefulness skills to healthy elders on measures of learned resourcefulness, anxiety, depression, adaptive functioning, and life satisfaction using a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design. The intervention group consisted of 20 elders and the placebo group had 17 elders. Those elders who received the 6-week small group intervention that taught the skills constituting resourcefulness scored significantly higher on post-test measures of learned resourcefulness, adaptive functioning, and life satisfaction. Although significant negative correlations were found between resourcefulness scores and scores on measures of anxiety and depression, there were no significant differences in anxiety and depression between the intervention and placebo groups on the post-test measures. The findings suggest that learned resourcefulness training (LRT) is an important nursing intervention for promoting healthy, independent, and productive lifestyles among older adults.     

Computerized quality-of-life screening in an oncology clinic

A 3-year prospective cohort study was conducted to estimate the life expectancy free of dementia (dementia-free life expectancy) in a representative sample of older persons living in an urban Japanese community. For the persons aged 65 years and older, who were not demented at the baseline survey in 1988, mortality and incidence rates of dementia were calculated. At the age of 65 years, males showed a total life expectancy of 18 years, including 16 years free of dementia, and females showed a total life expectancy of 23 years, including 18 years without dementia. At 65 years, the dementia-free life expectancy represented 89% of the total life expectancy for males and 79% for females. Total life expectancy and dementia-free life expectancy were longer among females than among males. However, the life-years with dementia were longer among females. This result would be attributable to a higher incidence of dementia and a lower mortality among females.     

Birds of a feather don't always fly farthest: Similarity in Big Five personality predicts more negative marital satisfaction trajectories in long-term marriages.

Decades of research suggest that similarity in demographics, values, activities, and attitudes predicts higher marital satisfaction. The present study examined the relationship between similarity in Big Five personality factors and initial levels and 12-year trajectories of marital satisfaction in long-term couples, who were in their 40s and 60s at the beginning of the study. Across the entire sample, greater overall personality similarity predicted more negative slopes in marital satisfaction trajectories. In addition, spousal similarity on Conscientiousness and Extraversion more strongly predicted negative marital satisfaction outcomes among the midlife sample than among the older sample. Results are discussed in terms of the different life tasks faced by young, midlife, and older adults, and the implications of these tasks for the "ingredients" of marital satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The life satisfaction of nonnormal persons.

Tested the proposition that membership in a fixed-status class would be unrelated to life satisfaction. In 2 experiments, questionnaire responses of handicapped persons (144 and 46) were compared with those of normals (151 and 44). No differences were found along the dimensions of life satisfaction, frustration with life, and mood, while some evidence indicated that the handicapped were less suicidal, more religious, more oriented toward the generalized other, and felt their lives were more difficult. Handicapped Ss who acquired their defect did not differ from those born with it. In Exp III, the observed moods of 40 mentally retarded children (mean age = 13) were compared with those of 40 normals (mean age = 13) via a time-sampling procedure while they were in class and at recess at school. Parents and teachers responded to a rating scale indexing intelligence, social adjustment, and happiness for each S. Differences uncovered favored the intelligence and social adjustment of the normals and the happiness of the male retardates. Results are construed as demonstrating essential equivalence in life satisfaction for handicapped, retarded, and normal persons. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevalence and correlates of major depressive episode among the elderly in a community in Japan

A random sample of 205 persons from a community of about 45,500 residents, aged 65 years or older, in a city in Japan, was surveyed using an interview schedule including a structured psychiatric interview to analyze prevalence of major depressive episode (DSM-III-R). A total of 157 (77%) participated in the study. Results were as follows: 1) The Prevalence of major depressive episode during the past 6 months was 2.1% for males and 3.7% for females among the 155 respondents who completed the psychiatric interview. 2) Significantly higher prevalence during the past 6 months was observed in those who were physically inactive in the past year than in those physically active (p < 0.05). 3) Levels of satisfaction with available social support were significantly lower in those who experienced major depressive episode during the past six months than in those who experienced no depressive episode (p < 0.05). 4) Levels of life satisfaction (PGC scale score) and cognitive functioning were significantly lower in those experienced major depressive episode during the past six months than in those who experienced no depressive episode (p < 0.05).     

Sulfation of nod factors via nodHPQ is nodD independent in Rhizobium tropici CIAT899

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationships between subjective life satisfaction and the following 8 factors of quality of life: physical condition, daily living activities, working condition, economic status, social status, medical status, marriage status, mental status. One hundred and fifty-four male and 116 female Beh?et patients in 13 medical facilities were analyzed in this study. Mantel-Haenszel's odds ratio method and stepwise logistic regression analysis were applied to evaluate the influence of quality of life on subjective life satisfaction in Beh?et disease patients. Males had higher problem scores than females in the following: physical condition, daily living activities, working condition, economic status, social status, marriage status, mental status. With regard to the effect on subjective life satisfaction, physical condition, daily living activities, working phase, economic phase, social phase, marriage relations, mental phase showed significantly high odds ratio in male, while physical condition, working phase, economic phase, social phase, medical phase, marriage relations, mental phase showed significantly high odds ratios in females by Mantel-Haenzel age-adjusted method. Physical condition, daily living activities, working phase, economic phase, social phase, and mental phase showed significantly high odds ratios in males after adjusting for active disease symptom periods, while physical condition, working phase, economic phase, social phase, medical phase, marriage relations, mental phase showed significantly high odds ratio in females after adjusting for active disease symptom. By stepwise logistic regression analysis, working phase and mental phase in males, economic phase and mental phase in females were shown to be significant. Improvement of quality of life including mental phase and working phase appear to raise the life satisfaction in Beh?et's disease patients.     

The long-term efficacy of two computer-tailored physical activity interventions for older adults: Main effects and mediators.

Objective: Low-cost (e.g., computer-tailored) interventions with sustained effects are needed to increase and maintain physical activity in older adults. This study examined the long-term efficacy of 2 computer-tailored physical activity interventions for older adults and its psychosocial and environmental mediators. Methods: A clustered randomized controlled trial (N = 1,971) was conducted that included 3 research arms: (a) basic computer-tailored print intervention, targeting psychosocial mediators; (b) environmentally computer-tailored print intervention, targeting psychosocial and environmental mediators; and (c) no-intervention control group. Interventions were developed using the intervention mapping approach and consisted of 3 computer-tailored letters delivered over 4 months. Questionnaires assessed the study outcomes (i.e., total weekly days and total weekly minutes of physical activity) at baseline and 12 months. Potential mediators (i.e., awareness, attitude, self-efficacy, intention, social influence, intrinsic motivation, self-regulation, and perceived environment) were assessed at baseline and at 3 or 6 months. Results: Multilevel regression analyses revealed that both interventions significantly changed total weekly days of physical activity compared with the control group, but only the environmentally computer-tailored print intervention significantly changed weekly minutes of physical activity. Multiple mediation models showed that the effects of both interventions on weekly days of physical activity were mediated by changes in awareness and intention. Conclusions: Computer-tailored interventions were effective in inducing long-term behavioral changes in physical activity behavior of older adults. Awareness and intention were found to be important mediators of changing daily physical activity and should be included in future computer-tailored intervention studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social support as a mediator in the relation between functional status and quality of life in older adults.

The relations among physical functioning, social support, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction were examined in a national sample of 4,734 adults age 65 and older. Regression analyses were used to examine the relative importance of objective and subjective support measures in understanding the relation between physical impairment and quality of life. Impairment was associated with fewer friendship contacts, fewer family contacts, less perceived belonging support, and less perceived tangible aid, but only measures of perceived support predicted depressive symptomatology. A structural equation modeling approach was then used to explore the mediational role of perceived social support in the relation between impairment and quality of life variables. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that lower reported social support is an important reason for decreases in life satisfaction and increases in depressive symptoms found among older adult populations. Implications for understanding the role of social support in attenuating the effects of physical disability in older adults are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A correlational framework for understanding sexuality in women age 50 and older

To investigate a biopsychosocial perspective of sexuality in women age 50 and older, 657 community-residing women completed anonymous surveys, including demographics; health; self-esteem; intimacy; and sexual knowledge, attitudes, interest, participation, and satisfaction. Cronbach's alphas for major variables ranged from .52 (sexual knowledge) to .92 (intimacy). Mean scores for major variables ranged from 2.96 (sexual participation) to 3.43 (self-esteem, sexual attitudes). Significant correlations were described among the predictor variables and sexual interest, participation, and satisfaction. Significant predictors of sexual interest, participation, and satisfaction were identified through stepwise multiple regression procedures. Findings suggest a biopsychosocial model for clinicians to use in assessment and intervention with older women and sexual issues, for educators to use to organize teaching about aging and female sexuality, and for researchers to use to investigate older women's sexuality in different samples of older women.     

Gender dysphoria, gender reorientation, and the clinical management of transsexualism.

Conducted 2 studies of gender dysphoria and postoperative adjustment by transsexuals. Study 1 examined the relation of gender reorientation (approximation of the status of the opposite biological sex) to psychological adjustment in gender dysphorics. Three S groups (75 heterosexual males, mean age 36.7 yrs; 85 homosexual males, mean age 29.8 yrs; and 103 biological females, mean age 27.4 yrs) were studied in multiple regression analyses, with psychological symptoms as criteria and measures of 3 roughly sequential components of gender reorientation (role changes, document changes, and physical changes), age, and education as predictors. Psychological complaints correlated negatively with the earliest phase of reorientation for females and with the later phases for males. Age and education bore little relation to current symptoms. Results suggest that psychological improvement accompanies gender reorientation in both male and female gender dysphorics; the greatest degree of improvement is seen earlier in the process for females. Ss in Study 2 were postoperative transsexuals (32 homosexual males, mean age 33.2 yrs; 9 heterosexual males, mean age 47.7 yrs; and 38 biological females, mean age 32.6 yrs) at least 1 yr after surgery. Follow-up rate was 77.5% for all Ss meeting the 1-yr criterion. Satisfaction with surgery was high, and psychosocial adjustment was acceptable for the majority. Results of both studies support the rationale for clinical intervention in aid of gender reorientation in selected cases. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance of a self-administered mailed version of the Quality of Well-Being (QWB-SA) questionnaire among older adults

OBJECTIVES: The Quality of Well-Being questionnaire is a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) that has several desirable properties. Its widespread use has been hindered because it is difficult to administer. To overcome this limitation, a new self-administered form has recently been developed. This study examined the feasibility of using the Quality of Well-Being-Self-Administered (QWB-SA) questionnaire in an older population. METHODS: The Quality of Well-Being-Self-Administered questionnaire was sent to 430 community-dwelling individuals aged 65 years and older who were randomly selected from primary care physicians' offices. Response patterns, scaling distributions, and the acceptability of the survey were examined for all respondents. The results of the QWB-SA questionnaire were compared to the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) for those individuals who also had completed the latter two surveys approximately 10 months earlier and whose health had not changed substantially in the meantime. RESULTS: Three hundred and one older adults (70%) responded. The mean QWB-SA questionnaire score was 0.7035. The scores were not skewed, and there were no floor or ceiling effects. The mean time to complete the QWB-SA questionnaire was 14.2 minutes, which was significantly shorter than for the SIP (19.3 minutes) but significantly longer than for the SF-36 (12.5 minutes). Subjects rated their satisfaction with the QWB-SA questionnaire somewhat lower than for the SIP and similar to SF-36. Correlations between the QWB-SA questionnaire and the SIP and SF-36 were moderate and were generally stronger for measures of physical health than for other domains such as mental health. CONCLUSIONS: The self-administered QWB questionnaire was acceptable to older respondents, and it correlated with other measures of health-related quality of life. It can be considered as a candidate for some research applications among older adults.