Psychological Dimensions That Explain Integrity in Older Adults: Examination of a Structural Model.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to confirm whether internal coping strengths, depressive symptomatology and gratitude disposition are significant predictors of integrity in older adults. METHODS: Participated 394 Ecuadorian older adults with ages between 60 and 91 years old. Self-report were applied to assess the different variables under study. Specifically, integrity, coping, resilience, self-efficacy, mood and gratitude were assessed. RESULTS: A confirmatory model was estimated to predict ego-integrity. A personal adjustment factor composed of problem-focused coping strategies, resilience and self-efficacy, and gratitude showed positive and significant relationships with ego-integrity, whereas negative mood negatively predicted integrity. CONCLUSIONS: Integrity is a key variable to strengthen a coherent view of one's life history and highly relevant during ageing. Having personal strengths and dispositions that facilitate adaptation to ageing and maintaining a positive mood predicts the attainment of integrity. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Integrity is an adjustment factor that facilitates adaptation to the stressors of ageing and to major life changes and loss of control indifferent areas of life.

Emotional intelligence predicting ego integrity in healthy older adults.

OBJECTIVES: A characteristic task in aging is the process of reevaluating and reflecting on one's life in order to give it meaning. The successful resolution of this task is defined as ego-integrity, and it is related to various psychological phenomena that foster the person's adaptation to change. The objective was to adapt an ego-integrity scale in a sample of older adults and study the relationships between emotional intelligence, coping strategies, and mood to find out whether they are predictors of ego-integrity. METHODS: The sample included 401 healthy older adults (241 women; ages 65-95, M = 73.69, SD = 6.83). Statistical analyses included structural equation models. Northwestern Ego-integrity Scale 9-item was tested showing that a structure with two unrelated factors fitted the data well. The internal consistency was satisfactory (.82 integrity and .72 despair). RESULTS: Emotional intelligence positively predicted problem-focused adaptive coping strategies (problem solving and positive reassessment) and negatively predicted state of mind (depression and hopelessness), whereas adaptive coping positively predicted integrity, and mood predicted it negatively. CONCLUSION: Emotional intelligence skills, adaptive coping strategies, and mood largely determine the successful resolution of the ego integrity conflict and are relevant resources in successful aging.

Factor structure, measurement invariance and psychometric properties of the Quality of Life Scale WHOQOL-BREF in the Ecuadorian context.

BACKGROUND: The short version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) is a popular instrument used to assess quality of life. The objective of this study was to evaluate the following psychometric properties: structural validity, convergent validity, internal consistency, and measurement invariance across sex of the WHOQOL-BREF in a sample of Ecuadorian adults. METHODS: We used a sample of undergraduates (n = 987) to assess the WHOQOL-BREF original four-factor structure, a model with correlated factors, a hierarchical model, and two models resulting from the exploratory factor analysis and exploratory graph analysis. All the models were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS: The results of the exploratory factor analysis and exploratory graph analysis suggest that the items are organized into four factors, although differently from the original version and the orthogonality assumption is not maintained. The confirmatory factor analysis shows that the original WHOQOL-BREF structure with correlated factors presents adequate psychometric properties. However, we propose a four-factor structure that has the best psychometric properties and adequate internal consistency. The results of the measurement invariance show that strict and strong invariance is achieved between men and women. Convergent validity analysis reveals moderate correlations with self-esteem, resilience, and social support. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the original version of the WHOQOL-BREF with correlated factors has acceptable psychometric properties in the Ecuadorian context, we propose a version with a different organization of its items, which is consistent with the findings of other investigations.

Coping and Life Satisfaction in Colombian Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Effective coping strategies facilitate older adults' optimal adaptation and contribute to their well-being. Problem-focused strategies are associated with active styles and enhance well-being. This study analyzes the role of coping strategies in Colombian older adults' subjective well-being (SWB) using structural equation modelling. Additionally, Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the Life Satisfaction Scale and Coping Strategies Questionnaires are performed. METHOD: A cross-sectional study is conducted with 455 Colombian older adults, ranging from 65 to 92 years old. RESULTS: The results show that problem-focused coping has a positive effect on SWB, whereas emotion-focused coping has a negative effect on SWB. CONCLUSIONS: This article highlights the relationship between effective coping and life satisfaction by showing that problem-focused coping strategies are adaptative and enhance well-being during aging.

Adaptation and validation of the gratitude questionnaire GQ-6 for the Ecuadorian context / Adaptação e validação do questionário de gratidão GQ-6 para o contexto equatoriano / Adaptación y validación del cuestionario de gratitud GQ-6 para el contexto ecuatoriano

This paper evaluates the factor structure, reliability and validity of the gratitude scale (GQ-6) of McCullough, Emmons and Tsang (2002) and the five-item version proposed by Chen et al. (2009). Results of a sample of 1112 adults show that the fiveitem version has excellent internal consistency (α=.926; ω=.891; GLB=.913); high and significant factor loadings (greater than .8; p<.01), and excellent goodness of fit indexes (χ²(5)=23.837, p<.001; CFI=.997; TLI=.995; RMSEA=.082, p=.045; SRMSR=.035; WRMSR=.837). The criterion validity was evaluated applying subscales of the PERMA-Profiler: positive emotions (ρ=.5702, p=.021) and negative emotions (ρ=-.1786, p=.0316). Finally, we find psychometric equivalence between the sex of the participants. In conclusion, the five-item questionnaire is valid and reliable in the Ecuadorian context. (AU)

Este estudo avalia a estrutura fatorial, a confiabilidade e a validade da Escala de Gratidão (GQ-6) de McCullough, Emmons e Tsang (2002) e a versão de cinco itens proposta por Chen et al. (2009). Resultados de uma amostra de 1.112 adultos mostram que a versão de cinco itens tem excelente consistência interna (α=0,926; ω=0,891; GLB=0,913); cargas fatoriais altas e significativas (maior que 0,8; p<0,01), e excelentes índices de qualidade de ajuste (χ²(5)=23,837, p<0,001; CFI=0,997; TLI=0,995; RMSEA=0,082, p=0,045; SRMSR=0,035; WRMSR=0,837). A validade de critério foi avaliada aplicando-se subescalas do PERMA-Profiler: emoções positivas (ρ=0,5702, p=0,021) e emoções negativas (ρ=-0,1786, p=0,0316). Finalmente, encontra-se equivalência psicométrica entre o sexo dos participantes. Em conclusão, o questionário de cinco itens é válido e confiável no contexto equatoriano. (AU)

Este estudio evalúa la estructura factorial, la confiabilidad y la validez de la escala de gratitud (GQ-6) de McCullough, Emmons y Tsang (2002) y la versión de cinco ítems propuesta por Chen et al. (2009). Resultados de una muestra de 1112 adultos indican que la versión de cinco ítems tiene excelente consistencia interna (α=.926; ω=.891; GLB=.913); cargas factoriales altas y significativas (mayores a .8; p < .01), y excelentes índices de calidad de ajuste (χ²(5)=23.837, p<.001; CFI=.997; TLI=.995; RMSEA=.082, p=.045; SRMSR=.035; WRMSR=.837). La validez de criterio se evaluó aplicando subescalas del PERMA-Profiler: emociones positivas (ρ=.5702, p=.021) y emociones negativas (ρ=-.1786, p=.0316). Finalmente, se ha encontrado equivalencia psicométrica entre el sexo de los participantes. En conclusión, el cuestionario de cinco ítems es válido y fiable en el contexto ecuatoriano. (AU)