Ardelt Monika, Edwards Carladenise A
Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Alameda Health System, Oakland, CA.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2016 May;71(3):502-13. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbv051. Epub 2015 Oct 5.
Several studies have shown that wisdom, measured as an integration of cognitive, reflective, and compassionate dimensions, is positively related to subjective well-being in old age. This study investigated whether wisdom might be particularly beneficial for people at the end of life, when extrinsic means to increase well-being largely disappear, and whether the association between wisdom and well-being is mediated by mastery and purpose in life.
Samples of 156 older community residents (M = 71 years) and 41 older hospice patients and nursing home residents (M = 77 years) were analyzed, using a moderated and mediated path model.
(a) Wisdom was positively related to subjective well-being in the later years, even after controlling for physical health, socioeconomic status, financial situation, social involvement, age, gender, race, and marital status. (b) The association between wisdom and well-being was significantly stronger in the nursing home and hospice sample than the community sample. (c) The relation between wisdom and well-being was partially mediated by purpose in life, both directly and via a sense of mastery.
Aging well at the end of life might depend to a larger extent on psychosocial growth across the life course than on present circumstances.
多项研究表明，智慧（以认知、反思和同情维度的整合来衡量）与老年人的主观幸福感呈正相关。本研究调查了在增加幸福感的外在手段基本消失的生命末期，智慧是否对人们特别有益，以及智慧与幸福感之间的关联是否由对生活的掌控感和生活目标所介导。
使用调节和中介路径模型对156名老年社区居民样本（平均年龄71岁）和41名老年临终关怀患者及养老院居民样本（平均年龄77岁）进行了分析。
（a）即使在控制了身体健康、社会经济地位、财务状况、社会参与度、年龄、性别、种族和婚姻状况之后，智慧在晚年与主观幸福感仍呈正相关。（b）在养老院和临终关怀样本中，智慧与幸福感之间的关联明显强于社区样本。（c）智慧与幸福感之间的关系部分由生活目标直接介导，也通过掌控感间接介导。
在生命末期安享晚年可能在很大程度上取决于一生中的心理社会成长，而非当前的环境。
