The relationship of psychological well-being with adaptive and maladaptive functioning among older adults in Lithuania.

Abstract

Background: The aging of societies highlights the importance of understanding the lives of the elderly. Researchers are interested in identifying factors of psychological well-being associated with age as it is crucial to find out what contributes to a fulfilling life of older people. However, the relationship of psychological well-being with adaptive and maladaptive functioning remains ambiguous. This study aimed to assess this relationship among older adults.

Participants and procedure: The study involved 332 individuals aged 60 to 97, with an average age of 71.93 years, of whom 36.4% were male. A nationally representative sample of older adults was obtained using multistage stratified sampling. The short supplementary scale of the Lithuanian Psychological Well-Being Scale and Older Adult Self Report (OASR/60+) were used.

Results: The hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, even after controlling for other factors of psychological well-being, certain specific problems - namely anxiety/depression, thought problems, and irritability/disinhibition - were significant predictors of psychological well-being.

Conclusions: Our study underscores the importance of targeting specific maladaptive behaviors, such as anxiety, thought problems, and irritability when developing interventions for the elderly. Addressing these issues may enhance their psychological well-being and contribute to successful aging.