IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v18y2017i5d10.1007_s10902-016-9787-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hope for the Future and Avoidance of the Present: Associations with Well-being in Older Adults

Author

Listed:
  • Susan J. Ferguson

    (Macquarie University)

  • Alan J. Taylor

    (Macquarie University)

  • Catherine McMahon

    (Macquarie University)

Abstract

Positive psychology and third wave cognitive behavioral therapy approaches have seldom been applied to older adults. This study therefore examined whether two concepts drawn from these areas, hope for the future and avoidance in the present, were associated with well-being in a sample of 259 older adults (65–94 years). Hope was measured as a stable trait. Experiential avoidance was measured as avoidance of present internal and external events. Respondents also completed two well-being measures: hedonic (positive and negative affect) and eudeimonic (meaning in life). Path analyses showed that high hope was significantly associated with high positive affect, and high meaning in life; and high experiential avoidance was associated with high negative affect and low meaning in life. This was also true when both (hope and avoidance) were taken into account, along with sociodemographic variables and perceived health. Many of the pathways between hope and well-being, and between experiential avoidance and well-being appear to be bidirectional. However the path from hope to positive affect was stronger than that from positive affect to hope. Further research is needed to clarify each of these points. Both hope for the future and lack of avoidance in the present are important for well-being in older adulthood and interventions targeting these processes may enhance positive aging and contribute to a sense of having a meaningful life.

Suggested Citation

  • Susan J. Ferguson & Alan J. Taylor & Catherine McMahon, 2017. "Hope for the Future and Avoidance of the Present: Associations with Well-being in Older Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1485-1506, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:18:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1007_s10902-016-9787-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-016-9787-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-016-9787-0
    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/s10902-016-9787-0?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. Fledderus, M. & Bohlmeijer, E.T. & Smit, F. & Westerhof, G.J., 2010. "Mental health promotion as a new goal in public mental health care: A randomized controlled trial of an intervention enhancing psychological flexibility," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(12), pages 2372-2378.
    2. Despina Moraitou & Chrysa Kolovou & Chrysa Papasozomenou & Catherine Paschoula, 2006. "Hope and Adaptation to Old Age: Their Relationship with Individual-Demographic Factors," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 76(1), pages 71-93, March.
    3. Michael Steger & Todd Kashdan, 2007. "Stability and specificity of meaning in life and life satisfaction over one year," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 161-179, June.
    4. Nardi Steverink & Gerben J. Westerhof & Christina Bode & Freya Dittmann-Kohli, 2001. "The Personal Experience of Aging, Individual Resources, and Subjective Well-Being," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 56(6), pages 364-373.
    5. Mohsen Joshanloo, 2014. "Eastern Conceptualizations of Happiness: Fundamental Differences with Western Views," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 475-493, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Yuan Zheng & Jingyi Zhou & Xianglong Zeng & Mingyan Jiang & Tian P. S. Oei, 2022. "A New Second-Generation Mindfulness-Based Intervention Focusing on Well-Being: A Randomized Control Trial of Mindfulness-Based Positive Psychology," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2703-2724, August.
    2. Seon, Youngwoon & Smith-Adcock, Sondra, 2023. "Adolescents’ meaning in life as a resilience factor between bullying victimization and life satisfaction," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    3. Mohsen Joshanloo & Dan Weijers, 2019. "A two-dimensional conceptual framework for understanding mental well-being," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(3), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Andrew J. Howell & Holli-Anne Passmore, 2019. "Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) as a Positive Psychological Intervention: A Systematic Review and Initial Meta-analysis Regarding ACT’s Role in Well-Being Promotion Among University Students," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1995-2010, August.
    5. Verena Klusmann & Nanna Notthoff & Ann-Kristin Beyer & Anne Blawert & Martina Gabrian, 2020. "The assessment of views on ageing: a review of self-report measures and innovative extensions," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 403-433, December.
    6. Sarah Asebedo & Patrick Payne, 2019. "Market Volatility and Financial Satisfaction: The Role of Financial Self-Efficacy," Journal of Behavioral Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 42-52, January.
    7. Antonio Crego & José Ramón Yela & Rita Ozores-Pérez & Pablo Riesco-Matías & María Ángeles Gómez-Martínez, 2022. "Eudaimonic and Uncertainty Metaphors About Life are Associated with Meaningfulness, Experiential Avoidance, Mental Health and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 4119-4146, December.
    8. Richard A. Burns & Dimity A. Crisp, 2022. "Prioritizing Happiness has Important Implications for Mental Health, but Perhaps Only if you Already are Happy," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(1), pages 375-390, February.
    9. E. Bodner & Y. Bergman & S. Cohen-Fridel, 2014. "Do Attachment Styles Affect the Presence and Search for Meaning in Life?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1041-1059, October.
    10. Jinhyung Kim & Patricia Holte & Frank Martela & Colin Shanahan & Zhanhong Li & Hong Zhang & Nikolett Eisenbeck & David F. Carreno & Rebecca J. Schlegel & Joshua A. Hicks, 2022. "Experiential appreciation as a pathway to meaning in life," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(5), pages 677-690, May.
    11. Allyson Brothers & Martina Miche & Hans-Werner Wahl & Manfred Diehl, 2017. "Examination of Associations Among Three Distinct Subjective Aging Constructs and Their Relevance for Predicting Developmental Correlates," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(4), pages 547-560.
    12. Xixiong Xu & Lingling Duan & Youliang Yan, 2019. "The Influence of Confucianism on Corporate Environmental Investment: Evidence from Chinese Private Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-20, October.
    13. Susanne Wurm & Maja Wiest & Julia K. Wolff & Ann-Kristin Beyer & Svenja M. Spuling, 2020. "Changes in views on aging in later adulthood: the role of cardiovascular events," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 457-467, December.
    14. Beatrice Adriana Balgiu, 2020. "Meaning in Life Questionnaire: Factor Structure and Gender Invariance in a Romanian Undergraduates Sample," Revista romaneasca pentru educatie multidimensionala - Journal for Multidimensional Education, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 12(2), pages 132-147, June.
    15. Karen Cohen & David Cairns, 2012. "Is Searching for Meaning in Life Associated With Reduced Subjective Well-Being? Confirmation and Possible Moderators," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 313-331, April.
    16. Pankhuri Aggarwal & Vaishali V. Raval & Anuradha Sathiyaseelan & Mackenzie Trevethan & Aaron M. Luebbe, 2022. "Scripts About Happiness Among Urban Families in South India," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 2059-2082, June.
    17. Igor Sotgiu & Licia Tirloni & Julissa Thomas Zapata, 2021. "Cultural Similarities and Variations in the Conceptions of Happiness and Unhappiness: A Comparison Between Italy and Honduras," Psychology and Developing Societies, , vol. 33(2), pages 232-257, September.
    18. Serena Sabatini & Obioha C. Ukoumunne & Allyson Brothers & Manfred Diehl & Hans-Werner Wahl & Clive Ballard & Rachel Collins & Anne Corbett & Helen Brooker & Linda Clare, 2022. "Differences in awareness of positive and negative age-related changes accounting for variability in health outcomes," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1087-1097, December.
    19. Mohsen Joshanloo & Paul E. Jose & Magdalena Kielpikowski, 2017. "The Value of Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling in Identifying Factor Overlap in the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF): A Study with a New Zealand Sample," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 1061-1074, August.
    20. Antonio Crego & José Ramón Yela & María Ángeles Gómez-Martínez & Pablo Riesco-Matías & Cristina Petisco-Rodríguez, 2021. "Relationships between Mindfulness, Purpose in Life, Happiness, Anxiety, and Depression: Testing a Mediation Model in a Sample of Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-15, January.

    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:18:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1007_s10902-016-9787-0. 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.