Physical Activity and Psychological Well-Being in Advanced Age: A Meta-Analysis of Intervention Studies.

A meta-analysis examined data from 36 studies linking physical activity to well-being in older adults without clinical disorders. The weighted mean-change effect size for treatment groups (dC. = 0.24) was almost 3 times the mean for control groups (dC. = 0.09). Aerobic training was most beneficial (dC. = 0.29), and moderate intensity activity was the most beneficial activity level (dC. = 0.34). Longer exercise duration was less beneficial for several types of well-being, though findings are inconclusive. Physical activity had the strongest effects on self-efficacy (dC.= 0.38), and improvements in cardiovascular status, strength, and functional capacity were linked to well-being improvement overall. Social-cognitive theory is used to explain the effect of physical activity on well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical Disability, Unemployment, and Mental Health.

Objective: Assess the joint mental health effects of unemployment and physical disability. Study Design: Face-to-face interviews with participants screened for the presence of a physical disability and a matched comparison sample obtained from the same geographic area. Participants: Five hundred fifty-six community-based physically disabled persons and 460 matched comparison participants. Outcome Measures: Mastery (L. I. Pearlin & C. Schooler, 1978) and self-esteem (M. Rosenberg, 1979), financial strain, and depression (L. S. Radloff, 1977). Results: Persons with disabilities are 5 times more likely than their nondisabled counterparts to be involuntarily unemployed. However, this difference accounts for only about 30% of the elevations in depression among the former. Furthermore, the emotional impact of unemployment appears to be greater among those with disabilities. Conclusions: There appears to be no overlap in the psychological impacts of physical disability and unemployment-the 2 stressors representing cumulative, and even synergistic, adversity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job-Search Persistence During Unemployment: A 10-Wave Longitudinal Study.

Dynamic predictors of job-search intensity over time are examined in a large 10-wave longitudinal study of unemployed individuals. Two sets of variables relevant to the examination of job search from a dynamic, self-regulatory perspective--core self-evaluations (T. A. Judge, A. Erez, & J. E. Bono, 1998) and the theory of planned behavior (I. Ajzen, 1991)--were used to guide our examination. Results suggest core self-evaluation is related to average levels of job-search intensity over time. Job-search intentions mediated the relationship between subjective norms and job-search self-efficacy in the prediction of job-search intensity in the following 2 weeks. Both Time 1 and cumulative job-search intensity predict reemployment. This repeated-measures study contributes to research on job search that has been primarily cross-sectional or included few time waves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does Gender Identity Influence Children's Psychological Well-Being?

This study examined influences of gender identity on change in preadolescents' adjustment over time. In each of two successive years, three measures of gender identity (felt gender typicality, contentment with gender assignment, and felt pressure for gender conformity) and four measures of adjustment (self-esteem, internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and acceptance by peers) were collected. Low gender typicality, low gender contentedness, and high felt pressure all foreshadowed deterioration on one or more indexes of adjustment. The combination of low gender typicality with high felt pressure was especially conducive to internalizing problems, underscoring the importance of the cognitive organization of the gender identity variables. The advantages of a multidimensional perspective on gender identity are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Multidimensional Look at Religious Involvement and Psychological Well-Being Among Urban Elderly African Americans.

Although the importance of religion in the lives of older African Americans is well documented, this is the 1st study to examine the relations between religious involvement and psychological well-being among a sample comprised exclusively of older African Americans. Eighty-six participants completed multidimensional measures of religious involvement (J. S. Levin, R. J. Taylor & L. M. Chatters, 1995) and well-being (C. D. Ryff & M. J. Essex, 1992). Results indicated that several dimensions of religious involvement (Organizational, Nonorganizational, and Subjective) were associated with several dimensions of psychological well-being (Positive Relations with Others, Self-Acceptance, Environmental Mastery, Purpose in Life, and Personal Growth). Recommendations for future research and implications for counseling are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological Stress and the Human Immune System: A Meta-Analytic Study of 30 Years of Inquiry.

The present report meta-analyzes more than 300 empirical articles describing a relationship between psychological stress and parameters of the immune system in human participants. Acute stressors (lasting minutes) were associated with potentially adaptive upregulation of some parameters of natural immunity and downregulation of some functions of specific immunity. Brief naturalistic stressors (such as exams) tended to suppress cellular immunity while preserving humoral immunity. Chronic stressors were associated with suppression of both cellular and humoral measures. Effects of event sequences varied according to the kind of event (trauma vs. loss). Subjective reports of stress generally did not associate with immune change. In some cases, physical vulnerability as a function of age or disease also increased vulnerability to immune change during stressors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The Psychological Assessment of Mental and Physical Handicaps.

Reviews the book, The Psychological Assessment of Mental and Physical Handicaps by Peter Mittler (see record 1971-06406-000). A single book on the psychological assessment of mental and physical handicaps of both adults and children ought, on the face of it, to be impossible. However, this book was written by thirty individuals who live and work within close proximity to one another. While an uncomfortable degree of uniformity of approach has resulted, so has a good degree of internal consistency. Thus, the book holds together quite well and presents a viewpoint which is sometimes overlooked in Canada in the face of the deluge of United States textbooks. Mittler's encyclopaedic chapters range from the very weak to the very strong. While the book is too expensive for individual purchase, in most cases, it does make a valuable library reference. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attachment to Parents and Psychological Well-Being: An Examination of Young Adult College Students in Intact Families and Stepfamilies.

Numerous studies have shown that compared to individuals from intact, biological families, individuals in stepfamilies tend to fare worse emotionally, socially, physically, and psychologically (e.g., Amato & Keith, 1991). Several studies have attempted to account for the discrepancy, but the research has not yielded definitive results. The current study evaluated attachment to parents as a possible explanation for discrepancies in psychological well-being. The results confirmed that attachment was a significant predictor of well-being. Additionally, individuals from stepfamilies were found to have less secure attachment to their parents than individuals from intact, biological families. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that attachment (operationalized as maternal and paternal care) partially mediated the relationship between family type (intact, biological family vs. stepfamily) and psychological well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Switching Off Mentally: Predictors and Consequences of Psychological Detachment From Work During Off-Job Time.

Psychological detachment from work refers to the off-job experience of "switching off" mentally. It is hypothesized that a high degree of workload encountered during the work day has a negative impact on subsequent detachment processes and that psychological detachment from work is positively related to well-being. Eighty-seven individuals from various occupations provided questionnaire and daily survey measures over a period of 3 working days. Multilevel analysis showed that workload was negatively related to psychological detachment from work during evening hours. Psychological detachment from work was associated with positive mood and low fatigue. The negative relationship between psychological detachment and fatigue was particularly strong on days with high time pressure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological well-being in retirement: The effects of personal and gendered contextual resources.

Although prior research points to the gendered nature of work and private routines, surprisingly few studies have explored the influence of gender on the sources of psychological well-being in retirement. Drawing on resource theories and theories on the gendered division of labor, this study examines how preretirement resources relate to retirees' psychological well-being by using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. It is hypothesized that possessing key resources prior to retirement as well as losing or gaining resources in the transition to retirement influence retirees' well-being and that these effects are partially conditioned by gender. Results indicate that preretirement physical health, tenacity in goal pursuit, and flexibility in goal adjustment are beneficial for men's and women's well-being alike. By contrast, financial assets and job dissatisfaction are more strongly related to men's psychological well-being in retirement and preretirement social contacts to that of women. Thus, the study underscores the importance of considering gendered resources in retirement research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological and Physical Adjustment to Breast Cancer Over 4 Years: Identifying Distinct Trajectories of Change.

The goal of this study was to identify distinct trajectories of adjustment to breast cancer over 4 years as well as to distinguish among the different trajectories. The mental and physical functioning of 287 women with breast cancer who remained alive and disease free through 4 years of follow-up were examined. The majority of women showed slight and steady improvement in functioning with time, but subgroups of women were identified who showed marked improvement and marked deteriorations over time. Age successfully distinguished different trajectories of physical functioning. Indices of personal resources (i.e., self-image, optimism, perceived control) and social resources (i.e., social support) successfully distinguished different courses of mental and physical functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Working Conditions and Three Types of Well-Being: A Longitudinal Study With Self-Report and Rating Data.

The mean of self-report and observer ratings of working conditions was used to predict 3 types of well-being in 52 young workers: general well-being, job-related well-being, and spillover from work to nonwork domains. Longitudinally, job control predicted spillover. There was no strong evidence for reverse causation. Synchronously, Time 2 job stressors predicted all types of well-being, and job control predicted general well-being. Because dependent variables at Time 1 are controlled for, this indicates short-term effects. Results for stressors are in line with a stress reaction model, indicating a rather quick symptom development but reversibility. The effect of control on spillover, however, suggests a sleeper effect model, with symptoms appearing with delay. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Future Outlook and Financial Strain: Testing the Personal Agency and Latent Deprivation Models of Unemployment and Well-Being.

A sample (N = 239) of unemployed adults completed scales measuring well-being, financial strain, future outlook, and the latent benefits of employment. The study tested (a) the relative contributions of the latent deprivation and agency restriction models in predicting well-being and (b) whether financial strain interacted with future outlook to predict well-being or whether financial strain was mediated by future outlook. The authors found support for agency restriction over the latent deprivation model and concluded that examining internal personal agency processes is required to explain the decline in well-being. No interaction effects were identified for financial strain and future outlook, but future outlook did mediate the influence of financial strain. Age and length of unemployment were also associated with well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age Differences in the Effect of Physical Activity on Depressive Symptoms.

This study examined associations between physical activity and depressive symptoms in 1,151 community-dwelling adults in Japan. Physical activity was measured using a pedometer, whereas depressive symptoms were assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale. A structural equation modeling with a cross-lagged panel design revealed that for the older adults (65-79 years of age), daily walking at baseline predicted fewer depressive symptoms at the 2-year follow-up, even after adjusting for confounders. In contrast, the association was not confirmed for the middle-aged adults (40-64 years of age). Findings suggest that age should be considered when estimating the effect of physical activity on psychological well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological testing and psychological assessment: A closer examination.

Comments on the G. J. Meyer et al (see record 2001-00159-003) summary of evidence and issues associated with psychological assessment. J. Hunsley states that Meyer et al failed to address two major issues at the very heart of psychological assessment practices in a consistent and sufficient manner: the crucial distinction between testing and assessment and the critical importance of incremental validity in both testing and assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age and Subjective Well-Being Revisited: A Discrepancy Perspective.

The hypothesis that the age effect on subjective well-being was entirely mediated by goal discrepancies (GDs) was tested with structural equation modeling. Six GDs grouped into 3 broad categories (relationships, health, and others) were differentially related to age. Whereas GD relationships and GD others (e.g., materials) decreased with age, GD health increased with age. GD health had smaller effects on subjective well-being than GDs in relationships and other life domains. Hence, the net effect of all the GDs on well-being was positive. GD variations because of age could completely explain the age trends in life satisfaction and positive affect, and partially the age trend in negative affect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physical Activity-Related Well-Being in Older Adults: Social Cognitive Influences.

In this study, the pattern and correlates of physical activity-related well-being in older adults (N = 174; men = 49, women = 125; mean age = 66 years) were examined across a 6-month exercise trial. Baseline levels of self-efficacy fitness, importance of physical activity, and social support and exercise participation across the trial were used as correlates of positive and negative feeling states. Psychological responses to physical activity were assessed on a bimonthly basis across the trial. Latent growth curve analyses indicated significant growth in positive well-being over the 6-month period, with increases reaching a threshold at 4 months. Self-efficacy was inversely related to change in positive well-being across the trial. Frequency of activity and increases in well-being over the trial were significant predictors of self-efficacy at program termination. Findings suggest the social cognitive context of the exercise experience may have influence on exercise-related well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meaning in Life: One Link in the Chain From Religiousness to Well-Being.

Meaning in life has been identified as a potential mediator of the link between religiousness and psychological health. The authors tested this hypothesis in 2 studies, using multiple methods and measures of religiousness and well-being. In the studies, meaning in life mediated the relation between religiousness and life satisfaction (Study 1A), as well as self-esteem and optimism (Study 1B). In addition, using an experience sampling method, the authors found that meaning in life also mediated the relation between daily religious behaviors and well-being (Study 2). The authors discuss these findings and suggest that meaning in life may be an effective conduit through which counselors and clients can discuss "ultimate" matters, even when they do not share similar perspectives on religion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological well-being after spinal cord injury: Perception of loss and meaning making.

Objective: This study examined the influence of medical injury severity, perceived loss of physical functioning (conceptualized as physical resource loss), and global meaning making on psychological well-being among 79 veterans living with a spinal cord injury. Measures: Structured interviews were completed to assess perceived loss of physical abilities using the Conservation of Resources—Evaluation and SF-36 Health Survey, global meaning making (Purpose in Life scale), and psychological well-being (Sense of Well-Being Inventory). Medical injury severity was calculated from medical records. Results: Medical injury severity was not related to psychological well-being, whereas perceived loss of physical functioning was inversely associated. Global meaning making was significantly related to and accounted for a large portion of the variance in psychological well-being. Results suggest that global meaning making partially mediates perceived loss of physical resources and psychological well-being. Conclusion: The perceived loss of physical abilities and the generation of meaning and purpose in life are important variables that relate to positive adaptation following spinal cord injury. Treatment implications related to factors that increase quality of life following spinal cord injury are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Protective role of personal competence skills in adolescent substance use: Psychological well-being as a mediating factor.

Adolescents who use a variety of cognitive and behavioral self-management strategies have been shown to report reduced rates of early-stage substance use, but little is known about how these personal competence skills may be protective. In a series of structural equation models, this study examined the association between competence skills and substance use over a 3-year period among 849 suburban junior high school students, and whether psychological distress, well-being, or both mediated this relation. Findings indicated that well-being fully mediated the relation between early competence and later substance use, but distress did not. Youth with good competence skills reported greater subsequent well-being, which in turn predicted less later substance use. Findings suggest that competence skills protect youth by enhancing well-being and that prevention programs should aim to enhance competence in order to promote resilience. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)