Esperanza Navarro

Psychological and physical dimensions explaining life satisfaction among the elderly: A structural model examination

The aim of the present paper is to analyze the effects of psychological well-being, physical functioning and socio-demographic factors on life satisfaction. Both a bivariate and a multivariate level of analyses have been used. Finally, a structural model explaining life satisfaction has been developed and validated. With respect to bivariate relations, there was evidence of significant positive relations between psychological well-being dimensions and life satisfaction and between physical conditions and life satisfaction as well. Also, as age increased there was a slow decrease in life satisfaction. Educational level was positively related to life satisfaction. A structural model gave valuable information about the pattern of multivariate relationships among the variables. A first result of the model was the large effect of physical and psychological well-being on life satisfaction, albeit it was psychological well-being the major predictor of life satisfaction. A second result was that the effects of socio-demographic variables on life satisfaction were low and they operated through the effects that maintain either on psychological well-being (or its individual indicators) or on physical conditions. The role gender or age played was indirect rather than direct.

Modelo de ecuaciones estructurales para predecir el bienestar y la dependencia funcional en adultos mayores de la República Dominicana

OBJETIVO: Generar un modelo estructural multifactorial que explique la dependencia funcional y el bienestar a partir de algunas caracteristicas sociodemograficas asociadas con esos dominios, en adultos mayores de la Republica Dominicana. METODOS: Estudio transversal mediante encuesta en una muestra de 1397 personas de 65 anos o mas representativa de la poblacion de adultos mayores de la Republica Dominicana. Se recabo informacion sociodemografica de los entrevistados (sexo, edad, nivel de estudios, si realizaba alguna actividad remunerada y nivel de ingresos) y los datos necesarios para calcular el indice de Barthel y las respuestas a las preguntas de las escalas del bienestar psicologico de Ryff. Para identificar las relaciones entre las variables de interes se probaron tres modelos de ecuaciones estructurales. RESULTADOS: El modelo estructural de ajuste mas satisfactorio relaciono las caracteristicas sociodemograficas con la capacidad para realizar las actividades basicas de la vida diaria (ABVD) y las dimensiones del bienestar psicologico de las escalas de Ryff sin proponer factores latentes. La capacidad predictiva del modelo para las variables endogenas fue debil. La edad se relaciono negativamente con algunas dimensiones del bienestar y con la capacidad para realizar las ABVD; el sexo se relaciono con la dimension de relaciones positivas con otros; y el nivel de estudios influyo positivamente sobre el dominio del ambiente, el crecimiento personal y el proposito en la vida, asi como en la capacidad para realizar las ABVD. CONCLUSIONES: Los modelos validados brindan informacion necesaria para desarrollar politicas orientadas a dos niveles de accion complementarios: la promocion de la autonomia de los adultos mayores y el aumento de la cobertura de los sistemas de ensenanza formal. Estos resultados respaldan la conveniencia de aumentar las inversiones en politicas sociales.

Grandparent-grandchild relationships from the children's perspective: shared activities and socialization styles.

The objective of this study is to describe the relationships between grandchildren and their favourite grandparents, by studying the socialization styles used by latter and the shared activities undertaken. The participants were 360 children between 10 and 12 years old, who completed the grandparent-grandchild relationship questionnaire of Rico, Serra and Viguer (2001) and the socialization questionnaire of Rey and Ruiz (1990). The results demonstrate the importance of gender and family line in the selection of the favourite grandparent, differences being shown in the types of shared activities and in socialization styles. It is concluded that in the majority of cases the profile of the favourite grandparent is the maternal grandmother, retired or a house wife, aged between 60-70, who lives in the same city as his/her grandchild, and who has contact with them several times a week. Furthermore, favourite grandparents get more involved with granddaughters than with grandsons, both in support and care activities and in cultural-recreational activities, and they primarily employ a democratic style. However, there are differences depending on the gender of the grandchild, with democratic principles being used more with girls and authoritarian ones with boys.

La construcción de la sexualidad en la adolescencia

Resumen Se presenta un estudio en el que se analizan las representaciones que elaboran de la sexualidad chicas y chicos a la edad de la pubertad. Se analiza también cómo evolucionan esas representaciones a lo largo de un periodo de seis años. El estudio se ha realizado a partir del análisis del contenido de 1.204 preguntas sobre sexualidad formuladas por chicos y chicas de 13 y 14 años en diversos talleres de educación sexual. El principal resultado es el escaso interés de las chicas por aspectos eróticos de la sexualidad, frente a un gran interés por su cuerpo, la salud reproductiva y el control del embarazo. Se propone la noción del erotismo subrogado para explicar las múltiples diferencias entre chicas y chicos que se observan en los temas por los que preguntan.

Comparison between Spanish young and elderly people evaluated using Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test.

ABSTRACT The first objective of this work was to compare scores obtained in the daily memory function between young and elderly people, and to check whether there are differences between the groups for each of the profile scores obtained in the memory test. A second aim of this paper is to study the relationship between everyday memory and age, while controlling for gender and educational level. The total and profile scores obtained in the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test were compared in a sample of 60 young and 120 elderly people from Valencia (Spain). Results showed significant differences between the two groups: those between 18 and 30 years obtained a higher average than those over 65. Once the group comparison was controlled for gender and educational level, the statistical effect of age group disappeared. The non-significant effect of group can not be explained by the introduction of gender, because both its main effect and the interaction were not statistically significant. However, educational level had a statistically significant effect which may explain the non-significant effect of group in this new analysis. The main conclusion is the need to carefully control for educational level in all studies related with everyday memory and ageing, as the differences found could be due to generational differences more than to biological deterioration.

Happiness in advanced adulthood and the elderly: the role of positive emotions, flourishing and mindfulness as well-being factors for successful aging

The purpose of this study was to critically analyse the role that positive emotions, flourishing and mindfulness have among the elderly. It was explored how these concepts can contribute to successful aging and higher levels of happiness in this population. To this end, we conducted a non-experimental correlational study with 329 participants, aged from 55 to 98 years. Questionnaires were used to collect data through the following instruments: a socio-demographic questionnaire, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) and PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), FS (Flourishing scale), PST (Positivity test), MHI-5 (Mental Health Inventory -- 5).

Analysis of the impact of leisure on well-being and distress in ageing

This research aimed to study the effect of leisure activities in the psychological well-being, attitude for leisure and distress of seniors. The sample consisted of 403 participants (male -- 150; female -- 253), with a range age between 53--93 years. Regarding the perception of health condition, 333 subjects were considered independent (81.4%) while 70 participants were considered dependent (17.1%). Research is quantitative, with a design-cross. The instruments used were the MHI and the LAS. Main results showed that subjects that are involved in leisure activities presented high level of well-being and attitude for leisure (p<0,05). Participants that untaken big levels of distress, intended to be involved in activities of leisure that helped to decrease this symptom. It was found that the health perception of the seniors influenced the practice of a leisure activity [Hotellings Trace = 0.077; F (3,341) = 8.733; p = 0.00]. The results obtained helped to intend in recognize the need and importance of leisure activities among seniors.