The relationship between trait emotional intelligence, resiliency, and mental health in older adults: the mediating role of savouring

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The present study explores savouring, defined as the process of attending to positive experiences, as a mediator in the relationships between resiliency, trait emotional intelligence (EI), and subjective mental health in older adults. Following Fredrickson's Broaden and Build Theory of positive emotions, the present study aims to extend our understanding of the underlying processes that link resiliency and trait EI with self-reported mental health in older adulthood.

Method: A sample of 149 adults aged 65 and over (M = 73.72) were recruited from retirement homes and community groups. Participants completed measures of resiliency, savouring, trait EI, and subjective mental health either online or in a paper format.

Results: Path analysis revealed that savouring fully mediated the relationship between resiliency and mental health. However, trait EI did not significantly predict mental health in this sample.

Conclusion: These findings provided partial support for the Broaden and Build Theory of positive emotions. As anticipated, savouring imitated the broadening effect of positive emotions by mediating the relationship between resiliency and mental health. However, savouring failed to reflect the undoing effect of positive emotions and did not mediate the relationship between EI and mental health. These findings have implications for positive psychology exercises and may be a simple, yet effective means of improving the life quality of older adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Resiliency
• emotional intelligence
• positive psychology
• mental health
• successful aging

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Canada Graduate Master's Scholarship by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.