Investigating the mediating role of self-care and spiritual experiences in the relationship between psychological well-being and social support of the elderly

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD in counselling, Department of Psychology and Consulting, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor in counselling, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran. (Corresponding Author)

3 Assistant Professor in counselling, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran.

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction: Paying attention to the subject of mental health and psychological well-being in old age became a necessity and in order to achieve a comprehensive and effective program to promote psychological well-being in the elderly, it was necessary to research, study and find effective and related factors. The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of self-care and spiritual experiences in the relationship between psychological well-being and social support of the elderly.
Methods: The present research method was correlation with path analysis method. From the community of all elderly people in private and public centers of Tehran in 1997-96, 300 elderly people (76 men, 224 women) were selected by military sampling method. The research tools included Reef's Psychological Welfare Questionnaire, Social Support Questionnaire, Self-Care Scale, and Spiritual Experience Questionnaire. In this study, Sobel test, path analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the research findings.
Results: The results showed that the variable of social support indirectly had a significant relationship with psychological well-being through self-care and spiritual experiences (p≤0 / 005).
Conclusion: The model of predicting the psychological well-being of the elderly based on social support with self-care mediation and spiritual experiences has a favorable fit.

Keywords


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