What matters most for life satisfaction in the oldest-old?

• The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with life satisfaction in the old-est-old within a spectrum of psychosocial and health related variables. Scores on the life satis-faction index (LSI-Z) were related to scales and questions regarding, demographics, depres-sion, locus of control, cognitive function, functional capacity (instrumental and personal ac-tivities of daily living), self-rated overall health and medically based health, and social net-work. The sample consisted of 315 participants, aged 80-98 years; (M = 83 years, 66% women). Regression analyses indicated that social network quality, self-rated overall health, sense of being in control of one's life, and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with life satisfaction. There was no gender difference in overall life satisfaction. However, there were different patterns of variables associated with life satisfaction in men and women. Self-rated overall health and depressive symptoms were related to life satisfaction in women, whereas widowhood was significantly associated with lower life satisfaction among men. The results emphasize the need to analyse associates of life satisfaction within a broader context of psychosocial variables and separately for men and women.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

life-satisfaction

gender

sense of control

social network

depression

health

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)