Psychological adjus tment, personal aging perspective, and life satisfation in adults and older adults with physical disability / Ajustamento psicologico, perspectiva de envelhecimento pessoal e satisfação com a vida em adultos e idosos com deficiencia fisica : Marineia Crossara de Resende

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2006

RESUMO

We carried out an investigation to analyze the relationships between perceived psychological adjustment, perspective of personal aging and life satisfaction in adult and aged people with physical disability. Materials and Method: 90 participants, both genders, aged 25 to 84 (M = 42,49 + 12,27), answered questionnaires asking for information on socio demographic characteristics, impairment, degree of disability and behavioral efforts to manage disability; the Sheppard Inventory of attitudes toward own aging; measures of global life satisfaction and satisfaction with physical and mental health, physical and mental ability and social involvement, all them referenced to temporal and social comparison criteria, and a scale assessing perceived psychological adjustment. Results: The majority of the participants reported moderate disability affecting their independence and determining necessity of help, usually from the family. The majority reported the adoption of compensatory strategies. The women reported more difficulty to accomplish daily activities, as well as the oldest to perform domestic tasks, and both reported more demand for help. The indexes of personal adjustment were moderate and high. The women had the lowest scores. There were observed positive correlations between positive psychological adjustment and positive attitudes toward own aging. The satisfaction scores were high in the presence of all of the criteria. The youngest and the more independent were the ones who reported more life satisfaction. Those that had congenital disability and reported higher psychological adjustment showed more positive perspectives of personal aging. Conclusion: Aging with physical disability is a complex process that demands adaptive competence, and resilience to cope with life events and the personal, social and environmental challenges produced by disability.

ASSUNTO(S)

envelhecimento - atitudes aging deficiencia fisica attitudes satisfação resiliencia (traço da personalidade) resiliency (personality trait) physical disability ajustamento (psicologia) satisfaction adjustment (psychology)

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