A molecular view of coping behavior in older adults

The purpose of this study was to assess age, gender, ethnicity, and education differences in specific ("molecular") coping behaviors for three older adult age groups.

Thirty-five specific coping reactions were assessed on the item level for 74 sexagenarians, 70 octogenarians, and 116 centenarians of the Georgia Centenarian Study.

A multivariate analysis of covariance revealed significant age group, gender, and education differences for 14 coping reactions. Four items were affected exclusively by age; five were affected only by gender; and three were affected only by education. One item showed age group and education differences; another showed gender and education differences. No ethnicity differences were obtained. The largest effect for an age group difference was found for accepting health problems.

The findings suggest that a molecular view of specific coping behaviors in reaction to health problems, in addition to global measures of coping, is essential.