| Revista INFAD 2012 |
ISSN EDICIÓN EN PAPEL: 0214-9877 |
| Nº2, Vol. 1, pp. 59-70 | doi: en trámite |
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Religiosity and optimism in ill and healthy elderly.
Lisete dos Santos Mendes Mónico. pp. 59-70
Abstract
Introduction: Considering the analysis of the roles of religiosity and its impact on health, risk behaviors, and well-being as classic, research about the impact of religiosity on optimism in the elderly has been neglected. Indeed, in the ageing process religiosity has been shown to be associa-ted with important benefits.
Aims: In this paper we seek to analyze the agency factors of religiosity in optimism and the mediation by satisfaction with life in healthy and ill elderly.
Method: The surveyed sample consisting of 250 elderly classified as healthy (M = 74.87, DP = 6.77 years old) and 244 ill elderly (M = 68.92; DP = 10.35 years old). All the participants answered to the CRSV Questionnaire (Mónico, 2010).
Conclusions: We found a positive relationship between religiosity and optimism only for the group of healthy elderly. For ill elderly optimism was only significantly promoted by satisfaction with life. The distinction between internality and externality optimism has shown that healthy elderly anchor their optimism in internality beliefs, while elderly patients base their optimism on external factors. The establishment of a self-regulating system in elderly is discussed with beliefs and reli-gious practices as perpetuators.
Keywords: Elderly; religiosity; optimism; ill elderly; healthy elderly
