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The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 59:P123-P129 (2004)
© 2004 The Gerontological Society of America

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Spirituality and Well-Being in Frail and Nonfrail Older Adults

Sarah E. Kirby, Peter G. Coleman and Dave Daley

School of Psychology, University of Southampton, England.

Address correspondence to Mrs. S. Kirby, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ, England.

Previous studies have identified that spiritual beliefs contribute to psychological well-being (PWB) in older people, but limited research has considered the effects of spirituality on PWB when physical health deteriorates and people become frail. We recruited 233 British participants from warden-controlled retirement housing to complete interviewer-administered questionnaires. Results showed that, after we controlled for marital status, age, education, other health problems, and gender, degree of frailty had a negative effect on PWB. Spirituality was also a significant predictor of PWB and moderated the negative effects of frailty on PWB. Therefore, this study suggests that spirituality is a resource in maintaining PWB, and that the use of this resource is more significant for individuals with greater levels of frailty.






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Copyright © 2004 by The Gerontological Society of America.