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Dispositional optimism and loneliness in older men
Nathaly Rius-Ottenheim1, Daan Kromhout, Roos C van der Mast
1Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden, the Netherlands. N.Rius_Ottenheim@lumc.nl
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
|March 9, 2011
Summary
Dispositional optimism, a tendency for positive outcomes, is linked to reduced loneliness in older men over time. This finding holds true even when accounting for factors like depression and social network changes.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Dispositional optimism, a generalized positive outcome expectancy, is linked to well-being and successful aging.
- The prospective association between dispositional optimism and loneliness in older adults requires further investigation.
- This study addresses the relationship between optimism and loneliness, controlling for aging-related factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if dispositional optimism prospectively predicts lower levels of loneliness in older men.
- To examine this association independently of potential confounders associated with aging.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 416 older men (70-89 years) from the Zutphen Elderly Study over 10 years.
- Optimism assessed at baseline; loneliness measured repeatedly using the De Jong Gierveld loneliness scale.
- Multilevel regression analysis adjusted for age, living situation, social contacts, widowhood, memberships, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms.
Main Results:
- Loneliness levels increased over the 10-year follow-up but demonstrated temporal stability.
- Low dispositional optimism at baseline was significantly associated with increased loneliness over time.
- A one standard deviation increase in optimism correlated with a 0.14 standard deviation decrease in loneliness (p=0.006).
Conclusions:
- Dispositional optimism is a significant correlate of reduced loneliness in older men over a 10-year period.
- This association persists even after adjusting for depression and changes in social network composition.
- Optimism may serve as a protective factor against loneliness in aging populations.
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