Attitude toward Aging Mediates the Relationship between Personality and Mental Health in Older Adults.

Teshome Sirak Bedaso,Buxin Han

doi:10.3390/healthcare9050594

Abstract

This study aimed to examine attitude toward aging as a potential mediator of the relationship between personality factors and mental health in terms of depression and life satisfaction among older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 438 Ethiopian elderly individuals aged 60 to 69. The results of the regression-based path analysis showed that after adjusting for demographic data, the relationship between agreeableness and depression in older adults was partially mediated by attitude toward aging. Likewise, attitude toward physical change due to aging and psychological growth subscales jointly mediated the correlation between neuroticism and depression. However, a significant direct path between neuroticism and depression persisted. On the contrary, openness had no significant direct association with depression apart from an indirect through psychosocial loss. The link between life satisfaction and agreeableness as well as openness to experience were partially mediated by psychosocial loss. Therefore, a person’s attitude toward aging and personality characteristics should be taken into consideration while designing interventions for managing mental health issues among older adults.

Highlights

Many studies concerning the association between personality factors and elderly people’s mental health were yielding mixed results
Many scholars agree that a higher score of neuroticism and a lower score of extraversion are significantly correlated with depression [3,4,5]
Our findings show that attitude toward aging plays a significant role in explaining the relationship between personality domains and mental health among older adults

Summary

Introduction

Many studies concerning the association between personality factors and elderly people’s mental health were yielding mixed results. Some scholars associate the reappearance of depression during later life with neuroticism [1]. According to Koorevaar et al [2], the onset of depression is more likely associated with higher level of openness. Many scholars agree that a higher score of neuroticism and a lower score of extraversion are significantly correlated with depression [3,4,5]. Personality traits could predict older adults’ attitude toward aging [6]. Studies on the mediating role of attitude toward aging in the relationship between the personality traits and mental health in developing countries are scarce

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Discussion

Conclusion