Well-being among older adults with OA: direct and mediated patterns of control beliefs, optimism and pessimism

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the contribution of important psychological resources (i.e. optimism, pessimism, control beliefs) to the psychological well-being of older adults with Osteoarthritis (OA); to assess the direct and mediated association of these psychosocial resources to outcomes (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and self-esteem). These objectives are important because OA is a significant stressor, treatments are limited, and psychological functioning is at risk for those coping with the condition, even compared to other chronic illnesses. Method: A cross-sectional survey of 160 community-dwelling older adults with OA (81% women). Participants were not randomly selected, but nonetheless reflected the demographic makeup of the selection area. Results: Ordinary least squares regression analyses using the PROCESS macro revealed that optimism and pessimism were associated with higher depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem indirectly through constraints beliefs. The analysis of life satisfaction showed that optimism and pessimism were each partially mediated through mastery and constraints beliefs. Discussion: These results suggest that prior research, which has assessed these psychological resources as having singular relationships to outcomes, may have underestimated the importance of the relationship between these variables. We discuss possible points of intervention for older adults with OA who may experience increasing constraints beliefs over time.

Keywords:

• personality
• older adults
• osteoarthritis
• mediation

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by NIH/NIA grant R03-AG 23322-01 to Dr Sherman. We thank Angie Forgues, Amanda R. Hemmesch, Elizabeth Jiang, Abby Reiss, Rio May del Rosario, Adrienne Skrzypek, and Meghan Walsh for their assistance in data collection and data management. We also express appreciation for the contribution of our participants.

Notes

Note. * p <.05, ** p <.01. Gender was dichotomized such that 0 = male and 1 = female, ethnicity was dichotomized such that 0 = White and 1 = non-White, marital status was dichotomized such that 0 = single, divorced, or widowed and 1 = married, education was dichotomized such that 0 = some college or less and 1 = associates degree or higher, annual household income was dichotomized such that 0 = less than $20,000 and 1 = more than $20,000.

Note. * p <.05, ** p <.01, 8** p <.001. Ethnicity was dichotomized such that 0 = White and 1 = non-White and annual household income was dichotomized such that 0 = less than $20,000 and 1 = more than $20,000.