Meaning in life, life satisfaction and positive and negative affect in older adults: Effect of gender and type of residence

Pages:55-59
Eisha Gohil (Department of Psychology, University of Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir)
Ruby Charak (Department of Developmental Psychology VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Ageing is a biological reality and in many developing countries it is seen to begin at a point when active contribution is no longer possible. While some dimensions of ageing grow and expand overtime, others decline. The present study aimed to assess how gender and type of residence affect meaning in life, life satisfaction and positive and negative affect in older adults. Sample encompassed 100 participants (27 female & 23 male old-age home inmates, 30 female and 20 male residing at home) in the age range of 60-105 years from Jammu. The objective of the study was to measure the main and interaction effect of gender and type of residence on the dimensions of meaning in life, life satisfaction, positive and negative affect by using MANOVA. Results indicated significant main effects of gender and type of residence on the presence of meaning in life, life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. No interaction effect was found. One-way ANOVA revealed that main effect of gender was due to negative affect (higher in males) and effect of type of residence was due to presence of meaning, life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect.