Developing a model of psychological well-being in elderly based on life expectancy through mediation of death anxiety

The purpose of the present study was to developing the model of psychological well-being in elderly based on life expectancy through mediation of death anxiety

The research method is correlational and structural modeling equation. The statistical population of this study included all the elderly hospitalized in the sanatorium and the elderly at home in Tehran in 2019. The sample included 400 elderly people selected by cluster sampling. In this way, among the elderly care centers and neighborhood house, 10 centers were selected randomly from districts 2, 3 and 5 in Tehran and then 40 elderly people were randomly selected from each center 400 elderly in total and the questionnaires were completed by them and in the presence of the researcher. Research instruments included Ryff Psychological Well-being Questionnaire (1989), Templer Death Anxiety Scale (1970) and Snyder Hope Scale (1991). The research data were analyzed by structural equation modeling and Sobel intermediate test.

The results of the conceptual model test indicated that the fit indices of the research model were in good condition (GFI=0.98). Hope had a direct effect on psychological well-being (p<0.05, β=0.47). The hypothesis regarding the indirect effect of hope on the psychological well-being of the elderly through death anxiety was also confirmed (p<0.05, β=0.13).

The findings of the study indicated that the conceptual model of the research was appropriate. Therefore, in elderly care centers, it is necessary to pay attention to the antecedents of hope and death anxiety in order to increase the level of psychological well-being and Improving the health of the elderly.