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13 - Spirituality and Religiosity Connections to Mental and Physical Health among the Oldest Old

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2012

By
Alex J. Bishop
Edited by
Leonard W. Poon  and
Jiska Cohen-Mansfield
Alex J. Bishop
Affiliation:
Oklahoma State University
Leonard W. Poon
Affiliation:
University of Georgia
Jiska Cohen-Mansfield
Affiliation:
Tel-Aviv University
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Summary

ABSTRACT

Gerontological examination of spiritual and religious connections in extreme old age has been limited. The purpose of this paper was to expose the connection between religious coping and mental and physical health among centenarians at time 1 and time 2. This involved an examination and identification of longitudinal predictors of religious coping among persons living extremely long lives. It appears that gender, health impairment, and negative affect may represent key predictors of religious coping in extreme old age. Furthermore, religious coping seems to diminish negative affect but increases feelings of stress. This has implications relative to improving theoretical conceptualization and cross-cultural insight into how religious coping contributes to adaptation in very old age. Suggestions for future spirituality and religiosity research with very old populations are highlighted.

INTRODUCTION

Many older adults seek the sacred. Investigators have acknowledged that religious and spiritual behaviors serve as personal resources that improve adaptation and protection against poor physical and mental functioning (Krause, 2006; Pargament, 1997). Although robust physical and mental health status are desirable characteristics in very old age (Quinn, Johnson, Poon, & Martin, 1999; Samuelsson et al., 1997), most exceptionally old persons experience multiple health ailments that threaten individual well-being (Jang, Poon, & Martin, 2004).

Type
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Understanding Well-Being in the Oldest Old , pp. 227 - 239
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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