TY - JOUR
T1 - Interrelations of stress, optimism and control in older people's psychological adjustment
AU - Bretherton, Susan Jane
AU - McLean, Louise Anne
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - Aim: To investigate the influence of perceived stress,
optimism and perceived control of internal states on the
psychological adjustment of older adults.
Method: The sample consisted of 212 older adults, aged
between 58 and 103 (M = 80.42 years, SD = 7.31 years),
living primarily in retirement villages in Melbourne,
Victoria. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale,
Life Orientation Test-Revised, Perceived Control of
Internal States Scale and the World Health Organisation
Quality of Life-Bref.
Results: Optimism significantly mediated the relationship
between older people s perceived stress and psychological
health, and perceived control of internal states mediated the
relationships among stress, optimism and psychological
health. The variables explained 49 of the variance in
older people s psychological adjustment.
Conclusion: It is suggested that strategies to improve
optimism and perceived control may improve the
psychological adjustment of older people struggling to
adapt to life s stressors.
AB - Aim: To investigate the influence of perceived stress,
optimism and perceived control of internal states on the
psychological adjustment of older adults.
Method: The sample consisted of 212 older adults, aged
between 58 and 103 (M = 80.42 years, SD = 7.31 years),
living primarily in retirement villages in Melbourne,
Victoria. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale,
Life Orientation Test-Revised, Perceived Control of
Internal States Scale and the World Health Organisation
Quality of Life-Bref.
Results: Optimism significantly mediated the relationship
between older people s perceived stress and psychological
health, and perceived control of internal states mediated the
relationships among stress, optimism and psychological
health. The variables explained 49 of the variance in
older people s psychological adjustment.
Conclusion: It is suggested that strategies to improve
optimism and perceived control may improve the
psychological adjustment of older people struggling to
adapt to life s stressors.
UR - http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ajag.12138/epdf
U2 - 10.1111/ajag.12138
DO - 10.1111/ajag.12138
M3 - Article
VL - 34
SP - 103
EP - 108
JO - Australasian Journal on Ageing
JF - Australasian Journal on Ageing
SN - 1440-6381
IS - 2
ER -