IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v21y2020i2d10.1007_s10902-019-00090-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding the Multi-Dimensional Mental Well-Being in Late Life: Evidence from the Perspective of the Oldest Old Population

Author

Listed:
  • Elvira Lara

    (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
    CIBERSAM
    Hospital Universitario de La Princesa)

  • Natalia Martín-María

    (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
    CIBERSAM
    Hospital Universitario de La Princesa)

  • Anna K. Forsman

    (Åbo Akademi University)

  • Johanna Cresswell-Smith

    (National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL))

  • Valeria Donisi

    (Verona University Hospital (AOUI-VR))

  • Marian Ådnanes

    (SINTEF Technology and Society)

  • Jannike Kaasbøll

    (SINTEF Technology and Society)

  • Line Melby

    (SINTEF Technology and Society)

  • Johanna Nordmyr

    (Åbo Akademi University)

  • Linda Nyholm

    (Åbo Akademi University)

  • Laura Rabbi

    (Verona University Hospital (AOUI-VR))

  • Francesco Amaddeo

    (Verona University Hospital (AOUI-VR))

  • Marta Miret

    (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
    CIBERSAM
    Hospital Universitario de La Princesa)

Abstract

The promotion, maintenance, and improvement of well-being among the oldest old population is becoming a great public health concern. This study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals aged 80 plus regarding their mental well-being (MWB) and its contributing factors in four European countries. A qualitative approach was followed, with twenty-three focus groups. One hundred and seventeen respondents were recruited from senior community centers, adult day care centers, and nursing homes. Data was assessed using qualitative content analysis. Participants’ perspectives on MWB were collated along four dimensions: functional, social, personal and environmental. Staying healthy and maintaining independence, having close relationships with others, and insightful experiences with friends positively contributed to MWB. Additionally, engagement in fruitful or inspiring activities contributed to enhance personal development, which, in turn, had beneficial effects on MWB. Having a positive outlook was also found to be associated with MWB. Results reinforce the dynamic and multidimensional nature state of MWB, as well as highlighting the significance of psychosocial factors. Developing and implementing policy actions including a focus on the social and physical environment as well as strengthening personal capabilities and self-esteem, can foster MWB among the oldest old population.

Suggested Citation

  • Elvira Lara & Natalia Martín-María & Anna K. Forsman & Johanna Cresswell-Smith & Valeria Donisi & Marian Ådnanes & Jannike Kaasbøll & Line Melby & Johanna Nordmyr & Linda Nyholm & Laura Rabbi & France, 2020. "Understanding the Multi-Dimensional Mental Well-Being in Late Life: Evidence from the Perspective of the Oldest Old Population," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 465-484, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00090-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00090-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-019-00090-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-019-00090-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Felicia Huppert & Timothy So, 2013. "Erratum to: Flourishing Across Europe: Application of a New Conceptual Framework for Defining Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 1245-1246, February.
    2. Stephen Jivraj & James Nazroo & Bram Vanhoutte & Tarani Chandola, 2014. "Aging and Subjective Well-Being in Later Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 69(6), pages 930-941.
    3. Laura Alejandra Rico-Uribe & Francisco Félix Caballero & Natalia Martín-María & María Cabello & José Luis Ayuso-Mateos & Marta Miret, 2018. "Association of loneliness with all-cause mortality: A meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-21, January.
    4. Felicia Huppert & Timothy So, 2013. "Flourishing Across Europe: Application of a New Conceptual Framework for Defining Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 837-861, February.
    5. Gerben Westerhof & Freya Dittmann-Kohli & Toine Thissen, 2001. "Beyond Life Satisfaction: Lay Conceptions of Well-Being among Middle-Aged and Elderly Adults," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 179-203, November.
    6. Andreas B. Neubauer & Oliver K. Schilling & Hans-Werner Wahl, 2017. "What Do We Need at the End of Life? Competence, but not Autonomy, Predicts Intraindividual Fluctuations in Subjective Well-Being in Very Old Age," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(3), pages 425-435.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Johanna Cresswell-Smith & Kristian Wahlbeck & Jorid Kalseth, 2022. "Life Conditions as Mediators of Welfare State Effect on Mental Wellbeing among Oldest Old in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-19, April.
    2. Jorid Kalseth & Valeria Donisi & Marta Miret & Anna K. Forsman & Johanna Cresswell-Smith, 2022. "Exploring the Association between Welfare State and Mental Wellbeing in Europe: Does Age Matter?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-25, September.
    3. Elizabeth A. Minton, 2022. "Pandemics and consumers' mental well‐being," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(1), pages 5-14, March.
    4. Bettina Isengard & Ronny König, 2021. "Being Poor and Feeling Rich or Vice Versa? The Determinants of Unequal Income Positions in Old Age Across Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 154(3), pages 767-787, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Savatore Puglisi & Ionuț Virgil Șerban, 2019. "Beyond Gdp: Which Options To Better Represent Modern Socio-Economic Progress?," Sociology and Social Work Review, International Society for projects in Education and Research, vol. 3(1), pages 17-32, June.
    2. Mizuki Wada & Yoshitake Takebayashi & Michio Murakami, 2022. "Role of Values and Resilience in Well-Being among Individuals Affected by the Fukushima Disaster," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(6), pages 3503-3515, December.
    3. Papageorgiou, Athanasios, 2018. "The Effect of Immigration on the Well-Being of Native Populations: Evidence from the United Kingdom," MPRA Paper 93045, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Rosemary Hiscock & Pierpaolo Mudu & Matthias Braubach & Marco Martuzzi & Laura Perez & Clive Sabel, 2014. "Wellbeing Impacts of City Policies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-34, November.
    5. Zagórski Krzysztof, 2018. "Etatism versus liberalism: Economic attitudes in Poland after the world crisis," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 26(1), pages 149-170, March.
    6. Raquel Lourenço Carvalhal Monteiro & Valdecy Pereira & Helder Gomes Costa, 2019. "Analysis of the Better Life Index Trough a Cluster Algorithm," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 477-506, April.
    7. Sabirah Adams & Shazly Savahl, 2017. "Children’s Discourses of Natural Spaces: Considerations for children’s Subjective Well-Being," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 10(2), pages 423-446, June.
    8. Corey L. M. Keyes & Malik Muhammad Sohail & Nneka Jebose Molokwu & Heather Parnell & Cyrilla Amanya & Venkata Gopala Krishna Kaza & Yohannes Benyam Saddo & Vanroth Vann & Senti Tzudier & Rae Jean Proe, 2021. "How Would You Describe a Mentally Healthy Person? A Cross-Cultural Qualitative Study of Caregivers of Orphans and Separated Children," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1719-1743, April.
    9. Chen, Ying & Kubzansky, Laura D. & VanderWeele, Tyler J., 2019. "Parental warmth and flourishing in mid-life," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 65-72.
    10. Cho, Esther Yin-Nei & Yu, Fuk-Yuen, 2020. "A review of measurement tools for child wellbeing," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    11. Hien, Nguyen Thi Thu, 2019. "Consequences of urban migration of adult children for the elderly left-behind in rural Vietnam," OSF Preprints zxyf8, Center for Open Science.
    12. Gregor Gonza & Anže Burger, 2017. "Subjective Well-Being During the 2008 Economic Crisis: Identification of Mediating and Moderating Factors," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1763-1797, December.
    13. Shalini Bahl & George R. Milne & Elizabeth G. Miller, 2023. "Expanding consumer mindfulness for collective sustainable well‐being: Overview of the special issue and future research directions," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 699-720, April.
    14. Austin Chia & Margaret L. Kern, 2021. "Subjective Wellbeing and the Social Responsibilities of Business: an Exploratory Investigation of Australian Perspectives," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(5), pages 1881-1908, October.
    15. Vincent J. Giolito & Robert C. Liden & Dirk Dierendonck & Gordon W. Cheung, 2021. "Servant Leadership Influencing Store-Level Profit: The Mediating Effect of Employee Flourishing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 172(3), pages 503-524, September.
    16. Alan Chi Keung Cheung & Grace Chih Nuo Chao & Elaine Lau & Angel Nga Man Leung & Harold Chui, 2022. "Cultivating the Psychological Well-Being of Early-Childhood Education Teachers: the Importance of Quality Work Life," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(3), pages 1533-1553, June.
    17. Ania A Drzewiecka, 2023. "From Human Doing to Human Being – The Metacognitive Model for Well-Being Resilience in the Workplace," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(11), pages 1023-1048, November.
    18. Ronit Yitshaki & Fredric Kropp & Benson Honig, 2022. "The Role of Compassion in Shaping Social Entrepreneurs’ Prosocial Opportunity Recognition," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(2), pages 617-647, August.
    19. Delhey, Jan & Steckermeier, Leonie C., 2016. "The Good Life, Affluence, and Self-reported Happiness: Introducing the Good Life Index and Debunking Two Popular Myths," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 50-66.
    20. Valeria Donisi & Federico Tedeschi & Juan Luis Gonzalez-Caballero & Johanna Cresswell-Smith & Elvira Lara & Marta Miret & Anna K. Forsman & Kristian Wahlbeck & Francesco Amaddeo & Jorid Kalseth, 2021. "Is Mental Well-Being in the Oldest Old Different from That in Younger Age Groups? Exploring the Mental Well-Being of the Oldest-Old Population in Europe," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1693-1717, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00090-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.