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Coping in longitudinal perspective: Findings from the bonn longitudinal study on aging
1University of Heidelberg Institute for Gerontology, Akademiestrasse 3, D-6900, Heidelberg, Germany.
Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology
|January 7, 2014
Summary
Older adults exhibit complex, consistent stress coping patterns across housing, income, family, and health domains over 15 years. These coping strategies are situation and person-specific.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- The Bonn Longitudinal Study on Aging (BOLSA) investigated aging processes.
- Longitudinal studies are crucial for understanding developmental changes over time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze stress and coping mechanisms in very old adults.
- To examine consistency and specificity of coping patterns over a 15-year period.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 221 participants (born 1890-1905) interviewed from 1965 to 1980.
- Data collected on perceived stress in housing, income, family, and health.
- Empirically developed classification system and cluster analyses used to analyze response patterns.
Main Results:
- Very old participants displayed complex stress response patterns.
- Coping patterns varied across different stress domains (e.g., family, health).
- Response patterns remained consistent within specific problem areas over 15 years, showing situation and person-specific characteristics.
Conclusions:
- Stress coping in advanced age is multifaceted and domain-specific.
- Individual coping strategies demonstrate remarkable consistency over extended periods.
- Findings highlight the interplay between situational factors and individual differences in aging and stress management.
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