Handicraft art leisure activities and cognitive reserve.

ObjectiveOlder individuals face a higher likelihood of developing dementia. The rate of cognitive decline resulting from dementia is not equivalent for all, as some patients with dementia are able to function independently longer than others, despite having similar disease burden. The cognitive reserve (CR) theory provides one explanation for the differing rate of decline. CR suggests that there are factors-most notably, educational attainment and occupational attainment-that can protect against the cognitive decline. Although the beneficial effects of these notable CR factors are clear, not all are easily modifiable. Participation in leisure activities may represent a more easily modifiable factor. Some research hints at beneficial effects of leisure activities, although specific leisure activities have not been well examined. The present study examined the relations between handicraft art leisure activities (HALAs) and multiple cognitive domains. MethodArchival WAIS-IV and demographic data for 50 California retirement community residents were examined. ResultsHALA participation accounted for statistically significant variance in working memory performance (R2 = .40, ß = .24%) over and above the established CR factors of age, depression, educational attainment, and occupational attainment. In addition, HALA participation was related to a better ability to perform abstract visual information tasks (Block Design subtest, r = .28, p = .05) and non-verbal reasoning tasks (Visual Puzzles subtest, r = .38, p = .008). ConclusionsHALA participation among older adults could contribute to the retention of cognitive function, supporting the role of HALA participation as a CR factor.

Memory self-efficacy and working memory.

Dementia affects multiple aspects of cognitive functioning, including working memory and executive functioning. Memory self-efficacy (MSE) has previously been related to episodic memory performance and to executive functioning, but little research has examined the relations between MSE and working memory. United States older adults (N = 197) were recruited via MTurk to complete an MSE questionnaire before completing a digit span working memory task. Hierarchical regression results revealed that the model accounted for a significant amount of variance in working memory performance after statistically controlling for several covariates, F(11, 179) = 4.94, p < .001, adjusted R2 = .19. MSE explained a large and unique portion of variance (B = 1.02, SE = 0.17, p < .001). Based on our findings, one's beliefs about their memory are positively associated with their working memory performance. These novel findings provide support for neuropsychologists to consider using MSE measures and utilizing MSE interventions.

Physical activity mediates the association between personality and biomarkers of inflammation.

OBJECTIVES: The current study investigated whether personality traits and facets were associated with interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen, and whether physical activity mediated the relationship between personality and biomarkers of inflammation. METHODS: Personality was assessed in the Midlife Development in the United States study using the Multi-Dimensional Personality Questionnaire and Midlife Development Inventory personality scale. Data were included from 960 participants (mean age = 57.86 years, standard deviation = 11.46). Personality was assessed from 2004 to 2009. Serum levels of interleukin-6, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein were assessed in 2005-2009 as part of the Midlife Development in the United States biomarkers subproject. RESULTS: Lower neuroticism was associated with elevated interleukin-6, and achievement was associated with lower fibrinogen. Higher physical activity was associated with lower interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. Mediation models suggested that physical activity mediated the associations between achievement and both interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. DISCUSSION: Physical activity is an important factor in the Health Behavior Model of personality and explains some of the associations between personality and inflammation. These findings contribute to the fields of aging and health by linking individual difference factors to markers of inflammation, and showing that these processes may function partially through specific behaviors, in this case physical activity.

The Theory of Planned Behavior as it predicts potential intention to seek mental health services for depression among college students.

BACKGROUND: Between 9.5% and 31.3% of college students suffer from depression (American college health association national college health assessment II: reference group executive summary spring 2013. Amer. Coll. Health Assoc. 2013; Eagan K, Stolzenberg EB, Ramirez JJ, Aragon, MC, Suchard, RS, Hurtado S. The American freshman: national norms fall 2014. Higher Educ. Res. Inst.; 2015). Universities need to understand the factors that relate to care-seeking behavior. OBJECTIVE: Across 3 studies, to relate attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control to intention to seek mental health services, and to investigate barriers to care-seeking. PARTICIPANTS: University college students (N = 845, 64% female, 26% male, and 10% unspecified). METHODS: New measures were created in Studies 1 and 2, and were examined using structural equation modeling in Study 3. RESULTS: Partially consistent with the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, I, Fishbein, M. Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall; 1980), a model with an excellent fit revealed that more positive attitudes about care and higher perceived behavioral control directly predicted higher intention to seek mental health services. CONCLUSIONS: Educating college students about mental health disorders and treatments, enhancing knowledge about available services, and addressing limited access to long-term care might improve treatment rates for students suffering from depression.

Well-being among older adults with OA: direct and mediated patterns of control beliefs, optimism and pessimism.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the contribution of important psychological resources (i.e. optimism, pessimism, control beliefs) to the psychological well-being of older adults with Osteoarthritis (OA); to assess the direct and mediated association of these psychosocial resources to outcomes (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and self-esteem). These objectives are important because OA is a significant stressor, treatments are limited, and psychological functioning is at risk for those coping with the condition, even compared to other chronic illnesses. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey of 160 community-dwelling older adults with OA (81% women). Participants were not randomly selected, but nonetheless reflected the demographic makeup of the selection area. RESULTS: Ordinary least squares regression analyses using the PROCESS macro revealed that optimism and pessimism were associated with higher depressive symptoms and lower self-esteem indirectly through constraints beliefs. The analysis of life satisfaction showed that optimism and pessimism were each partially mediated through mastery and constraints beliefs. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that prior research, which has assessed these psychological resources as having singular relationships to outcomes, may have underestimated the importance of the relationship between these variables. We discuss possible points of intervention for older adults with OA who may experience increasing constraints beliefs over time.

Exercising control: exercise intention and perceived constraints in older adults with osteoarthritis.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Maintaining perceived psychological control in older adulthood is beneficial for health, well-being, and adjustment to chronic illness. Theoretically, control over specific, personally meaningful domains should inform general control beliefs. Thus, the objective of the present study was to examine perceived control over the exercise domain (operationalized as exercise intention belief) for its ability to predict general control beliefs in a sample of older adults with chronic illness over 1 year. DESIGN AND METHODS: Longitudinal survey responses from 133 older adults with osteoarthritis (OA) were examined. RESULTS: Longitudinal hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that higher baseline exercise intention beliefs predicted a lower perception of constraints on control 9-12 months later, but did not predict changes in mastery beliefs. IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest that bolstering exercise intention beliefs may protect against age-related increases in psychological constraints on perceived control for older adults with OA.

Health-Related Social Control over Physical Activity: Interactions with Age and Sex.

Despite the disease prevention benefits of engaging in life-long regular physical activity, many adults remain sedentary. The social environment provides an important context for health and health behavior across the lifespan, as well as a potential point of intervention for increasing physical activity. Self-reports of perceived social support, social strain, positive social control, and negative social control were examined for their cross-sectional relationships to physical activity frequency in purposive samples of younger and older adults (N = 371, ages from 18 to 97, 68% women). Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceived support and perceived strain were not correlated with physical activity. However, age and sex interacted with social control, such that more positive social control was associated with more frequent physical activity for younger men. Furthermore, more positive and negative social control were significantly associated with less frequent physical activity for older men, while social control was not associated with physical activity among women. While younger men may be encouraged toward healthier behaviors by positive social control messages, social control attempts may backfire when targeting older men. Implications for physical activity promotion are discussed.

No strain, no gain: psychosocial predictors of physical activity across the adult lifespan.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is an essential ingredient in the recipe for successful aging, yet physical activity engagement declines with advancing age. METHODS: In a national sample of 3848 participants aged 32 to 84 (55% women), we examined potential psychosocial moderators of the relationship between age and physical activity. RESULTS: In a cross-sectional hierarchical multiple regression analysis [Adj. R2 = .14, F(10, 3546) = 57.10, P < .001] we found that participants reporting higher education (ß = .08), higher social support (ß = .05), higher social strain (ß = .12), and a higher sense of control (ß = .09) were significantly more physically active. Furthermore, 2 significant interactions showed that higher education and higher social strain were associated with higher physical activity in older adulthood, suggesting that social strain and education may protect against age-related declines in physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Social strain may positively influence adaptive health promoting behaviors. Potential pathways are considered.

Psychosocial and behavioural contributors to health: age-related increases in physical disability are reduced by physical fitness.

The aging process is associated with increased risk for disease which can cause physical and economic burden for older adults. In a national longitudinal sample of 3910 participants aged 24-75 years (55% women), we examined psychosocial and behavioural factors associated with physical health in adulthood. With hierarchical regression analyses controlling for Time 1 values of the dependent variable and demographic characteristics, we found that participants reporting better social relations, a higher sense of control, a smaller waist circumference and greater physical activity at Time 1 reported better self-rated physical health (Adj. R(2) = 0.33, F (11, 3661) = 164.66, p < 0.001) and less physical disability (Adj. R(2) = 0.44, F (13, 3659) = 226.25, p < 0.001) 9 years later than their counterparts reported. Furthermore, significant interactions showed that smaller waist circumference and greater physical activity at Time 1 attenuated age-related increases in physical disability. Beneficial effects of physical fitness are considered within the context of lifespan theories of health, and implications for interventions are discussed.

It's all in how you view it: pessimism, social relations, and life satisfaction in older adults with osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: Current treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) continue to leave those burdened by the condition with pain and disability which affects physical and psychological well-being. The present study examines other psychosocial factors, such as dispositional personality and social relationships, in order to investigate their influence on the well-being of 160 older adults with OA (80% women). METHOD: Older adults were recruited for self-reported knee or hip OA. Participants completed self-report measures of optimism and pessimism, social support, social strain, and life satisfaction using the computer program MediaLab. Measures were taken twice 9-12 months apart. RESULTS: Results showed that, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, pessimism was related to lower social support and higher social strain. In addition, pessimism was mediated by social support in its relationship to life satisfaction. DISCUSSION: Our models support the combined roles of pessimism and social support influencing life satisfaction over time. Future interventions may want to concentrate on improving the social relationships of people with OA to enhance psychological well-being.

Love hurts: the influence of social relations on exercise self-efficacy for older adults with osteoarthritis.

Exercise self-efficacy is a powerful predictor of physical activity behavior, which enhances health and well-being for older adults. Social relations have been proposed as influential precursors for exercise self-efficacy. In a longitudinal study of 160 older adults with osteoarthritis (76.9% women), the authors found that social support (but not social strain) significantly predicted exercise self-efficacy in a structural equation model examining cross-sectional data: chi(2) (178, N = 160) = 264.57, p < .01; RMSEA = .06; CFI = .92; TLI = .90. When data were examined longitudinally, however, social strain (but not social support) significantly predicted lower exercise self-efficacy 1 year later: Xi(2) (233, N = 160) = 288.64, p < .01; RMSEA = .04; CFI = .96; TLI = .95. Results support the negativity effect, suggesting that social strain might be the more potent aspect of social relations and should be the target of interventions.