scholarly journals UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF STRESS PROCESSES IN CUMULATIVE DIS/ADVANTAGE PROCESSES

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S418-S418
Author(s):  
Deborah Carr
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Age Related

Abstract In my book Golden Years (2019), I argue that the psychosocial consequences of normal biological processes of aging are intensified for those who have had lives of disadvantage, just as the harmful consequences of life-course disadvantages are particularly acute for those experiencing age-related physical health declines. In this paper, I discuss the role of stress processes, including stress proliferation and amplification, as possible mechanisms contributing to cumulative dis/advantage. I evaluate these ideas empirically by focusing on the linkages between functional limitations (an indicator of normal biological aging) and psychological well-being in later life, and explore the extent to which these linkages are amplified diverse indicators of life course disadvantage including low education; poor-quality employment; avoidant coping strategies; and family-related strains including intensive caregiving. Analyses are based on data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. I discuss the implications of incorporating stress process models in cumulative dis/advantage research.

scholarly journals Give Thanks in All Circumstances? Gratitude Toward God and Health in Later Life After Major Life Stressors

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 465-465
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks ◽  
Joanne Ford-Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Life Stressors ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Moderation Effect ◽  
Development Framework

Abstract Gratitude is foundational to well-being throughout the life course, and an emerging body of work suggests that older adults may be more inclined to attribute gratitude to a non-human target (God). Drawing on life course theory and Erikson’s lifespan development framework, we use data from a national sample of Christian older adults from the United States (N = 1,005) to examine whether gratitude towards God buffers the noxious health effects of the death of a loved one or personal illness. Results suggest that gratitude towards God tends to predict better age-comparative and global self-rated physical health in the aftermath of stress, a moderation effect which is partially mediated by stronger beliefs in God-mediated control (that God is a collaborative partner in dealing with problems). We conclude by proposing some interventions for clinicians and counselors centered around gratitude and religiosity that may assist older adults in coping with major life stressors.

scholarly journals FACETS OF CLOSE, ROMANTIC, AND INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS IN LATER LIFE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S792-S792
Author(s):  
Karolina Kolodziejczak ◽  
Denis Gerstorf ◽  
Karen Rook
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Satisfaction ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Social Ties ◽  
Time Lag ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Dyadic Data ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Research on the role of close social relationships for physical health and well-being in later life has received increased attention over the past decades. Yet, we are still only beginning to understand potentially underlying mechanisms such as joint goals and affectionate touch. Likewise, we also know little about the relevance of particular social facets such as the role of friends and the nature of sexuality. In this symposium, we have compiled four empirical projects that showcase current and future endeavors to address some of these long-standing questions. Ungar et al. use dyadic data from older couples to examine how shared goals with the partners and positive illusions about these joint goals relate to goal progress and relationship satisfaction. Zhaoyang and Martire analyze long-term longitudinal dyadic data from older couples to examine if and how the frequency of affectionate touch between partners predicts physical health, well-being, and relationship satisfaction five years later. Fiori et al. make use of three-wave longitudinal data from a large and representative US sample to examine the unique roles that close social ties and weaker social ties have independently of one another for age-related changes in two central aspects of affective experience. Kolodziejczak et al. use time-lag data from two cohorts of adults in late midlife to capture historical changes in the perceived importance of sexuality and the evaluation of one’s sex life. Karen Rook will integrate the insights gained from these four papers, discuss their potential and limitations, and consider directions for future research.

scholarly journals Child’s Developmental Disabilities and Parental Well-being in Midlife and Old Age: Does Race Matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 916-916
Author(s):  
Juha Lee ◽  
Manjing Gao ◽  
Chioun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Differential Vulnerability ◽  
Differential Exposure ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Having a child with developmental disabilities (DD) compromises parents’ health and well-being. We have little knowledge on whether the association is robust to the presence of exposure-outcome confounders and how it varies by race. Guided by life-course perspectives, we evaluate (1) the association between having a child with DD and parental well-being and (2) racial disparities in the likelihood of having a child with DD (differential exposure), and/or the effect of having a child with DD on parental well-being (differential vulnerabilities). We advance prior studies by including a wide array of parent’s early-life adversities (ELAs, e.g., poverty and abuse), which may link the predictor to the outcome. Using the core, Refresher, and Milwaukee samples from Midlife in the United States (N=9,640, 25% non-Whites), we conducted regression analysis with race as a moderator. Compared to having a healthy child, parents having a child with DD reported lower well-being even after controlling for ELAs. While the likelihood of having a child with DD (around 10%) is similar for both non-Hispanic Whites and African Americans, African American parents are more adversely affected by having a child with DD across most of the eudaimonic well-being indicators (i.e., autonomy, self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, personal growth, environmental mastery). The later-life well-being of racial minorities is disproportionally affected by having a child with DD. Future research avenues include identifying life-course pathways that contribute to this differential vulnerability.

scholarly journals Midlife as a pivotal period in the life course

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margie E. Lachman ◽  
Salom Teshale ◽  
Stefan Agrigoroaei
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Middle Age ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cross Sectional Studies ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Health And Well Being

We provide evidence for multidirectionality, variability, and plasticity in the nature and direction of change in physical health, cognitive functioning, and well-being during the middle years of the life course. The picture of well-being in midlife based on longitudinal data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study is a more positive one than portrayed in previous cross-sectional studies. We present middle age as a pivotal period in the life course in terms of balancing growth and decline, linking earlier and later periods of life, and bridging younger and older generations. We highlight the role of protective factors and multisystem resilience in mitigating declines. Those in middle age play a central role in the lives of those who are younger and older at home, in the workplace, and in society at large. Thus, a focus on promoting health and well-being in middle age can have a far-reaching impact.

scholarly journals Bane or Boon? The Role of Spirituality, Religion, and Well-Being in Later Life Across Diverse Older Populations

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 677-678
Author(s):  
Holly Nelson-Becker
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Religious Faith ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Religious Practice ◽  
Religion And Spirituality ◽  
Religiously Affiliated ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Older adults tend to be religiously-affiliated to a greater extent than any other generational cohort (ARDA,2018; Koenig, King & Carson,2012; George et al.,2013; Nelson-Becker,2018). However, their level of engagement varies across cultural and national contexts. Complex life course trajectories related to spirituality and religion mean that these domains often interface with both challenges and a search for well-being. Individuals may align with spiritual and/or religious values to a greater or lesser extent at different periods in their lives becoming more spiritual/religious, less spiritual/religious, or differently so. These papers address diverse perspectives on spirituality, religion, and well-being using samples primarily from the UK, Europe, the US, and Canada. The first paper by Christina Victor sets context by comparing the role of religion, and spirituality in well-being across three separate older adult data sets, touching on loneliness and dementia. Holly Nelson-Becker discusses results from an online international survey of older persons who walked the ancient Camino de Santiago pilgrimage regarding their motivations and learning from the experience. Michael Thomas considers the complex role of spirituality and sexuality for older LGB couples who may choose to remain in or leave their religious faith as they integrate expanding views. Keith Anderson explores perceptions of belief changes among religious and spiritual older adults across the life course. Together, these papers will address benefit and harm from formal religious practice and the advancing roles of spirituality as well as nonspirituality (the “nones”) in global societies.

Give Thanks in All Circumstances? Gratitude Toward God and Health in Later Life after Major Life Stressors

2021 ◽  
pp. 016402752110339
Author(s):  
Laura Upenieks ◽  
Joanne Ford-Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Life Stressors ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Moderation Effect ◽  
Development Framework

Gratitude is foundational to well-being throughout the life course, and an emerging body of work suggests that older adults may be more inclined to attribute gratitude to a non-human target (God). Drawing on life course theory and Erikson’s lifespan development framework, we use data from a national sample of Christian older adults from the United States (N = 1,005) to examine whether gratitude toward God buffers the noxious health effects of the death of a loved one or personal illness. Results suggest that gratitude toward God tends to predict better age-comparative and global self-rated physical health in the aftermath of stress, a moderation effect which is partially mediated by stronger beliefs in God-mediated control (that God is a collaborative partner in dealing with problems). We conclude by proposing some interventions for clinicians and counselors centered around gratitude and religiosity that may assist older adults in coping with major life stressors.

Transgender ageing: community resistance and well-being in the life course

2019 ◽  
pp. 47-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Fabbre ◽  
Anna Siverskog
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Choices ◽  
Transgender People ◽  
Community Resistance ◽  
The Life Course

This chapter explores the intersections of gender, sexuality and age through transgender aging. Using empirical work from both Swedish and U.S. contexts, it examines how heteronormative expectations for human lives are challenged by the identities, lived experiences and life choices of older transgender adults. Further, the chapter draws upon life course and queer perspectives to analyse the role of community-level organizing and resistance as pathways to wellness in later life for transgender people

Well-being in later life: a life course perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pattharanitcha Prakitsuwan ◽  
George P. Moschis
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Consumer Welfare ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to illustrate the viability of the life course paradigm (LCP), which is increasingly used by social and behavioral scientists to study a wide variety of phenomena, as a framework for studying the transformational role of service consumption in improving consumer well-being in later life. Design/methodology/approach The LCP is used to develop a life course model for studying the effects of service consumption on older people’s well-being. Previous research related to the consumption of specific types of services (financial and healthcare) is integrated within the multi-theoretical LCP to suggest relevant model variables and derive a set of propositions for illustrating the effects of service consumption on older adults’ well-being. Findings The research presented in this study shows how efforts to study the effects of service consumption on older people’s well-being can be improved by using the LCP, helps understand the onset and changes in service consumption patterns and illustrates an innovative way to study the role of services in promoting older consumer welfare. Originality/value By applying the principles and theoretical perspectives of the LCP, this study contributes to recent transformative service research efforts to better understand the impact of service consumption on people’s lives and the transformational role of services and service providers in improving consumer and societal welfare.

The link between coronavirus, anxiety, and religious beliefs in the United States and United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Rigoli
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Stressful Event ◽  
Cultural Implications ◽  
The Impact

Research has shown that stress impacts on people’s religious beliefs. However, several aspects of this effect remain poorly understood, for example regarding the role of prior religiosity and stress-induced anxiety. This paper explores these aspects in the context of the recent coronavirus emergency. The latter has impacted dramatically on many people’s well-being; hence it can be considered a highly stressful event. Through online questionnaires administered to UK and USA citizens professing either Christian faith or no religion, this paper examines the impact of the coronavirus crisis upon common people’s religious beliefs. We found that, following the coronavirus emergency, strong believers reported higher confidence in their religious beliefs while non-believers reported increased scepticism towards religion. Moreover, for strong believers, higher anxiety elicited by the coronavirus threat was associated with increased strengthening of religious beliefs. Conversely, for non-believers, higher anxiety elicited by the coronavirus thereat was associated with increased scepticism towards religious beliefs. These observations are consistent with the notion that stress-induced anxiety enhances support for the ideology already embraced before a stressful event occurs. This study sheds light on the psychological and cultural implications of the coronavirus crisis, which represents one of the most serious health emergencies in recent times.

Family Influences on Youth Offending

2018 ◽  
pp. 377-403
Author(s):  
Abigail A. Fagan ◽  
Kristen M. Benedini
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Parenting Practices ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Parental Violence ◽  
Youth Delinquency ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Children’S Exposure

This chapter reviews the degree to which empirical evidence demonstrates that families influence youth delinquency. Because they are most likely to be emphasized in life-course theories, this chapter focuses on parenting practices such as parental warmth and involvement, supervision and discipline of children, and child maltreatment. It also summarizes literature examining the role of children's exposure to parental violence, family criminality, and young (teenage) parents in affecting delinquency. Because life-course theories are ideally tested using longitudinal data, which allow examination of, in this case, the impact of parenting practices on children's subsequent behaviors, this chapter focuses on evidence generated from prospective studies conducted in the United States and other countries. It also discusses findings from experimental studies designed to reduce youth substance use and delinquency by improving the family environment.

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