Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Evaluating the stress-buffering function of meaning in life among older people
1Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, 1420 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA. nkrause@umich.edu
Objectives:
The purpose of this study is to see if a strong sense of meaning in life helps older adults cope more effectively with the effects of lifetime trauma.
Methods:
The data were obtained from a nationwide longitudinal survey of older adults (N = 1,093). Questions were asked about traumatic events arising at any point in an individual's life and depressive symptoms.
Results:
The findings suggest that meaning tends to offset the deleterious impact of traumatic life events on depressive symptoms. However, these effects were observed only when the cross-sectional data were examined. In contrast, statistically significant stress-buffering effects were not present when the impact of trauma and meaning on change in depressive symptoms over time was evaluated.
Discussion:
The findings from this study provide a basis for devising interventions to help older people cope more effectively with the effects of traumatic events that have arisen in their lives.
Related Concept Videos
Lazarus's Cognitive Appraisal Theory
Primary Appraisal:...
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Psychological Responses to Stress
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques II
Type A Personality: Driven and Easily Stressed
Individuals with Type A personalities are often highly competitive and ambitious and operate with a strong sense of urgency. Commonly labeled as "workaholics," they...
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques VI
Motivation and Self-Determination
Motivation, the driving force behind behavior, plays a pivotal role at every stage of the change process. The research...

