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Correlates of Happiness Among Older Spanish Institutionalised and Non-Institutionalised Adults

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  • Débora Godoy-Izquierdo
  • Raquel Lara Moreno
  • María Vázquez Pérez
  • Francisco Araque Serrano
  • Juan Godoy García

Abstract

The overall objective of this study was to explore the current (i.e., at the time of the study) and past (i.e., over their lifetimes) happiness of 65-year-old and older men and women who had different personal and socio-demographic characteristics. We also investigated the role of affect balance and life satisfaction as sources of participants’ subjective well-being, as well as the contribution of other psychosocial variables, including self-efficacy, optimism, health and quality of life, stress, social support and leisure, and of socio-demographic conditions. Further, we examined the influence of institutionalisation on happiness and on the aforementioned psychosocial variables. Participants voluntarily completed self-reports regarding all of these variables. Participants’ current happiness (M = 6.6 on a 0–10 scale) was significantly lower than their past happiness (M = 7.7). The happiness of the institutionalised participants did not differ from that of the non-institutionalised participants, although significant differences were found for a number of psychosocial variables. Affect balance and life satisfaction were significant correlates and predictors of current happiness, which was also associated with many psychosocial variables and was further predicted by past happiness, health indicators and some life dimensions assessed as perceived sources of one’s own happiness, such as a sense of autonomy and independence. Our results highlight the importance of establishing both happiness and its correlates to develop interventions aimed at promoting subjective well-being in older people, given that, compared to earlier periods in life, happiness may be reduced in late adulthood. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

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  • Débora Godoy-Izquierdo & Raquel Lara Moreno & María Vázquez Pérez & Francisco Araque Serrano & Juan Godoy García, 2013. "Correlates of Happiness Among Older Spanish Institutionalised and Non-Institutionalised Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 389-414, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:14:y:2013:i:2:p:389-414
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-012-9335-5
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    1. Germán Lobos & Klaus G. Grunert & Miguel Bustamante & Berta Schnettler, 2016. "With Health and Good Food, Great Life! Gender Differences and Happiness in Chilean Rural Older Adults," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 127(2), pages 865-885, June.
    2. Amy Chan Hyung Kim & Jungsu Ryu & Chungsup Lee & Kyung Min Kim & Jinmoo Heo, 2021. "Sport Participation and Happiness Among Older Adults: A Mediating Role of Social Capital," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1623-1641, April.
    3. Fernando Lera-López & Andrea Ollo-López & José Manuel Sánchez-Santos, 2017. "How Does Physical Activity Make You Feel Better? The Mediational Role of Perceived Health," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(3), pages 511-531, September.
    4. Costa-Font, Joan, 2017. "“Institutionalization aversion” and the willingness to pay for home health care," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 62-69.
    5. Raquel Lara & Mᵃ Luisa Vázquez & Adelaida Ogallar & Débora Godoy-Izquierdo, 2020. "Psychosocial Resources for Hedonic Balance, Life Satisfaction and Happiness in the Elderly: A Path Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-18, August.

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