Religiousness/Spirituality and anger management in community-dwelling older persons

Religiosity/Spirituality and Mental Health in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Objectives

The present study investigated the association between religious and spiritual (RS) practices with the prevalence, severity, and incidence of mental health problems in older adults.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that investigated older adults aged 60+ years and assessed RS using valid scales and questions from valid scales, and mental health according to validated multidimensional or specific instruments. Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, LILACS, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and AgeLine databases until July 31, 2021. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). A pooled effect size was calculated based on the log odds ratio (OR) and Z-scores. This study is registered on PROSPERO.

Results

One hundred and two studies that investigated 79.918 community-dwellers, hospitalized, and institutionalized older adults were included. Results indicated that high RS was negatively associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms, while a positive association was observed with life satisfaction, meaning in life, social relations, and psychological well-being. Specifically, people with high spirituality, intrinsic religiosity, and religious affiliation had a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. In relation to longitudinal analysis, most studies supported that high RS levels were associated with a lower incidence of depressive symptoms and fear of death, as well as better mental health status.

Conclusion

Findings of the present study suggest that RS are significantly associated with mental health in older adults. People with high RS levels had a lower prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as reported greater life satisfaction and psychological well-being, better social relations, and more definite meaning in life. Data provided by an increasing number of longitudinal studies have supported most of these findings.

Seeking and maintaining connections: A grounded theory study of maintaining spirituality in residential aged care facilities

BACKGROUND

Moving to a residential aged care facility involves living far from family and a familiar environment, and leaving behind the social support system of relatives, friends, and society. The pressure to find and develop new and meaningful connections in a residential aged care facility can be significant for older adults.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a theoretical explanation of how older adults seek and maintain connections in a residential aged care facility.

METHODS

A grounded theory study was conducted. A total of 17 residents were recruited from two Nepalese residential aged care facilities using theoretical sampling. Face to face in-depth, semi-structured interviews and observation within interviews were conducted. Data analysis included the process of open, axial, selective coding, and constant comparative analysis as per Corbin and Strauss' variant of grounded theory.

RESULTS

This study identified that the process of seeking connections in a residential aged care facility was forward-moving, and involved "identifying sources," "developing connections," and "appraising responses." By seeking connections, residents built new connections. Similarly, the study found that maintaining connections was a continuous process of "sustaining connections with co-residents," "preserving connections with nurses/caregivers," and "continuing connections with inner-self and higher being/s." Maintaining connections led residents to balance shifting connections. Furthermore, it was found that the process of seeking and maintaining connections was conditional on facility arrangement i.e. the way residents were placed, rules, regulations, co-residents' language, gender, religious affiliation, attitudes, the attitudes and practices of nurses/caregivers, decreasing physical abilities of residents, increasing illness of residents, illness or death of co-residents, and retirement or resignation of nurses/caregivers.

CONCLUSION

The current study provides unique insights into the process of seeking and maintaining connections in a residential aged care facility. Facility arrangement, rules, regulations, and caregiving practices should resonate with residents' socio-cultural expectations and spiritual belief system to support their process of seeking and maintaining connections.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The findings can be beneficial for managers, nurses, caregivers, and spiritual advisors in developing interventions that promote the development of meaningful connections in a residential aged care facility.

Childhood Loss Experiences, Religiousness/Spirituality, and Hope as Predictors of Adult Life Satisfaction

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore how adaptive patterns of religiousness/spirituality and hope predict adult life satisfaction in adults, even if they had childhood loss experiences.Design and Methods Using a cross-sectional survey design with132 adult participants (mean age 33.8 ± 15.2, 82% female, 78% Caucasian) we estimated two hierarchical regression models to examine how dimensions of religiousness/spirituality (Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality) and hope (Herth Hope Index) predicted adult life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale) after controlling for effects of adverse childhood experiences (Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Questionnaire) or chronic sorrow from childhood loss (Kendall Chronic Sorrow Instrument).Results When effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) were controlled, higher levels of hope (β = .416, p < .001) and forgiveness (β = .273, p = .023) and lower levels of religious/spiritual values/beliefs (β = -.298, p = .014) predicted higher levels of adult life satisfaction. ACE remained a significant predictor of adult life satisfaction in the final model. When controlling for effects of chronic sorrow, higher life satisfaction was predicted only by forgiveness (β = .379, p = .003), values/beliefs (β = -.354, p = .007), and hope (β = .357, p < .001), with chronic sorrow not a significant predictor of adult life satisfaction in the final model.Conclusion: Greater life satisfaction for adult survivors of childhood loss experiences could be promoted by interventions to enhance hope and foster forgiveness. These adult survivors may also need support as they engage with religious/spiritual struggle to reconcile their values and beliefs with childhood loss.