Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.
Aging Ment Health. 2013;17(7):839-43. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2013.792780. Epub 2013 Apr 29.
The present study investigated the relationship between Antonovsky's sense of coherence (SOC) and well-being in a sample of Flemish elderly. In addition, the mediating role of Erikson's developmental task of integrity versus despair was examined in the relationship between SOC, depression, and life satisfaction.
Data on sociodemographic variables, SOC, depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, ego-integrity, and despair were collected. In total, 100 older persons with a mean age of 76.5 years participated. Mplus was used to test the mediating role of integrity and despair in the relationship between SOC and both life satisfaction and depression.
A positive relationship between SOC and well-being was found. More precisely, elderly individuals with a strong SOC experienced less depressive symptoms and higher levels of satisfaction with their life. In addition, mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between SOC and depressive symptoms was partially mediated by the positive resolution of the integrity-despair crisis, whereas the relationship between SOC and life satisfaction was fully mediated by integrity and despair.
Our findings indicate that SOC might be a resource for greater well-being in the elderly. Furthermore, our study offers a partial explanation for the relations found and points to the importance of finding integrity and resolving despair in this stage of life.
本研究调查了弗拉芒老年人样本中 Antonovsky 的心理一致感（SOC）与幸福感之间的关系。此外，还考察了艾里克森的完整与绝望发展任务在 SOC、抑郁和生活满意度之间关系中的中介作用。
收集了社会人口统计学变量、SOC、抑郁症状、生活满意度、自我完整性和绝望的数据。共有 100 名平均年龄为 76.5 岁的老年人参与了研究。使用 Mplus 检验 SOC 与生活满意度和抑郁之间的关系中完整性和绝望的中介作用。
发现 SOC 与幸福感之间存在正相关。更具体地说，SOC 较强的老年人经历较少的抑郁症状和更高的生活满意度。此外，中介分析表明，SOC 与抑郁症状之间的关系部分通过积极解决完整与绝望危机来中介，而 SOC 与生活满意度之间的关系则完全通过完整性和绝望来中介。
我们的研究结果表明，SOC 可能是老年人获得更大幸福感的一种资源。此外，我们的研究为所发现的关系提供了部分解释，并指出在人生的这个阶段寻找完整性和解决绝望的重要性。
