It's all in how you view it: Pessimism, social relations, and life satisfaction in older adults with osteoarthritis

Abstract

Objectives: Current treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) continue to leave those burdened by the condition with pain and disability which affects physical and psychological well-being. The present study examines other psychosocial factors, such as dispositional personality and social relationships, in order to investigate their influence on the well-being of 160 older adults with OA (80% women). Method: Older adults were recruited for self-reported knee or hip OA. Participants completed self-report measures of optimism and pessimism, social support, social strain, and life satisfaction using the computer program MediaLab. Measures were taken twice 9–12 months apart. Results: Results showed that, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, pessimism was related to lower social support and higher social strain. In addition, pessimism was mediated by social support in its relationship to life satisfaction. Discussion: Our models support the combined roles of pessimism and social support influencing life satisfaction over time. Future interventions may want to concentrate on improving the social relationships of people with OA to enhance psychological well-being.