The Effects of the MORE Wisdom Resources on Spousal Caregivers’ Life Satisfaction: An Application of the Resilience Model

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Models of resilience suggest that psychosocial resources and their interactions facilitate resilience while experiencing life challenges of caregiving. The MORE wisdom resources (sense of Mastery, Openness to experience, Reflective attitude, and Emotion regulation) have been suggested as possible personal resources of resilience that predict positive health outcomes of caregivers. Applying a model of resilience, this study examined the direct and indirect effects of the three of the MORE wisdom resources (sense of Mastery, Openness to experience, and Emotion regulation) on caregiving spouses’ life satisfaction and perceived physical health.Methods: Using data from the survey of Midlife in the United States, caregiving spouses (n = 114) and matched non-caregivers (n = 114) were included. We compared the direct and indirect effects of the wisdom resources on life satisfaction and physical health between the two groups.Results: The simple mediation model proposed in 2008 by Preacher and Hayes revealed that openness to experience was directly associated with better life satisfaction among caregiving spouses. Sense of mastery and emotion regulation had indirect effects on life satisfaction through spousal support. The effects the wisdom resources on caregiving spouses’ perceived physical health were not found.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the three of the MORE wisdom resources are possible personal resilience factors influencing life satisfaction among caregiving spouses. Moreover, the study showed how spousal support mediates the relationship between the wisdom resources and life satisfaction.Clinical Implications: Interventions aiming to increase life satisfaction among caregiving spouses should focus on increasing both personal and environmental resources and strengthening the relationship of the caregiver and care recipient.

KEYWORDS:

• Caregiving spouses
• life satisfaction
• MORE wisdom resources
• resilience
• social support

Acknowledgments

The article was written while the first author was a doctoral candidate at the Davis School of Gerontology at University of Southern California.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health under Grant P01-AG020166 to conduct a longitudinal follow-up of the MIDUS investigation. The original study was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development.

Notes

1. We applied the first version of the MORE life experience model in this study.

2. Higher scores in self-rated physical health scale reflect higher standing in physical health status.

3. Direct and indirect effects were calculated simultaneously in an analysis.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health under Grant P01-AG020166 to conduct a longitudinal follow-up of the MIDUS investigation. The original study was supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development.