The Relationship Between Self-Efficacy and Quality of Life Through the Mediating Role of Psychological Well-Being in the Elderly

The aging process is associated with a gradual decline in the function of the body systems of a healthy and matured adult to a vulnerable individual with a decrease in physiological capacity. Therefore, nowadays, paying attention to the components of health in healthy people has gained especial importance. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between self-efficacy and quality of life with the mediating role of psychological well-being in the elderly in Tehran, Iran. This was a descriptive study, of correlational type with structural equations modeling (SEM). The statistical population consisted of all the elderly (60 years and older) living in Tehran, among whom 200 people were selected using convenience sampling. Participants responded to the Ryff’s psychological well-being, Sherer's general self-efficacy and World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) questionnaires. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and SEM were used to analyse data in SPSS and AMOS software. The results of SEM illustrated that the hypothetical model of this study has a good fit in the study sample. Thus, self-efficacy had a direct positive relationship with psychological well-being and also with quality of life. Besides, psychological well-being had a direct positive relationship with quality of life. It was also found that psychological well-being is indirectly related to quality of life through self-efficacy. The results indicate the importance of improving the living conditions of the elderly based on mental health and the degree of feeling comfortable when dealing with difficult situations.