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Spirituality in late adulthood
1King's College, University of Western Ontario, Canada.
Psychological Reports
|August 18, 2001
Summary
Spirituality in late adulthood shows higher spiritual and religious beliefs but lower paranormal beliefs compared to young adults. Death anxiety is linked to existential well-being and age, with spirituality often independent of religious behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Religious Studies
Background:
- Spirituality is a complex construct that may evolve throughout the lifespan.
- Understanding spirituality in late adulthood is crucial for well-being and quality of life.
- Previous research has primarily focused on younger populations, leaving a gap in understanding older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the nature of spirituality in late adulthood.
- To compare spiritual and religious beliefs and practices in older adults versus young adults.
- To investigate the relationship between spirituality, death anxiety, and age in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MacDonald's Expressions of Spirituality Inventory (ESI).
- Sample comprised 30 individuals in late adulthood (mean age 72.6 years).
- Compared ESI scores with a standardization group of undergraduate students (mean age 21.0 years).
Main Results:
- Older adults scored higher on spiritual and religious beliefs/practices than young adults.
- Older adults scored lower on paranormal beliefs compared to young adults.
- Low death anxiety correlated with Existential Well-being and age; many ESI dimensions were independent of religious behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Spirituality in late adulthood is characterized by robust spiritual and religious engagement, but less paranormal belief.
- Existential well-being and age are key factors related to death anxiety in older adults.
- While some religious behaviors align with spirituality, many aspects of spirituality are distinct from self-reported religious practices in this age group.
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