STUDY OF THE RELATION BETWEEN LIFE TASKS DEFINED BY OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF WELL-BEING.
Contributors: University of Wisconsin--Madison.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 140
Subjects: Gerontology.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study explored how older adults structure their lives. Based on personal construct theory, I suggested that individuals develop a life plan which consists of life tasks, task-associated activities, and a structure defined by the interaction between these tasks and activities. The two research questions focused on (1) the categorization of life tasks and (2) the relation between the life plan structure, defined as the congruency between tasks and task-associated activities, and psychological well-being.

A sample of 54 older adults residing in the community completed a Task- Activity Form and four measures of psychological well-being: environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others and purpose in life (Ryff, 1989b). A subsample of 20 subjects also completed an interactive computer rating program (Lehrer, 1988) pairing subjects' life tasks with their task-associated activities. Using an iterative process, eight categories were derived representing the common life tasks encountered by these older adults. These categories are: maintaining and nurturing family relationships; building and maintaining friendships; maintaining and managing household and property; maintaining one's health; maintaining one's spiritual life and participating in church activities; service to others through church/community/personal activities; maintaining financial stability; and, hobbies, recreational activities, and learning opportunities. The average number of different categories per subject was 4.3 (sd = 1.2) and at least 50% of the subjects listed one or more tasks in six of the nine categories.

A significant correlation was found between the number of tasks and the well-being dimension of personal growth for males and between this same dimension and the number of activities for both males and females. This relation suggests that life tasks which focus on new experiences and knowledge expansion appear to be associated with positive feelings of personal growth in later life.

No significant relations were found between any of the four well-being measures and measures of task-activity congruency.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-04, Section: A, page: 1349.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON, 1990.

School code: 0262.