Investigation of the relationship between attitudes toward migration and life satisfaction of nurses working in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Nurse migration contributes to the nursing shortage in developing countries. Understanding nurses' attitudes toward migration and related factors is crucial for policy-making and healthcare workforce planning in Turkey. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between nurses' attitudes toward migration and their life satisfaction in Turkey. METHODS: The study included working nurses with social media accounts on a social media platform in Turkey who followed nursing-related content. A sample of 423 nurses completed an online survey. Independent variables included nurses' sociodemographic characteristics and inclination toward migration, while dependent variables were life satisfaction and migration attitude levels. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, incorporating the Brain Drain Attitude Scale (BDAS) and Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS), between April and May 2023. RESULTS: The study found a negative correlation between nurses' life satisfaction levels and their attitudes toward migration (r = -.349, p < .001). Nurses dissatisfied with their profession (F = 6.575, p < .05), lacking professional support (F = 8.641, p < .05), and lacking social support (F = 6.307, p < .05) scored higher on the BDAS. Conversely, those satisfied with their profession (F = 31.455, p < .05), receiving professional support (F = 26.307, p < .05), and social support (F = 33.990, p < .05) scored higher on the LSS. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The study revealed that decreased life satisfaction among nurses in Turkey correlates with increased migration attitudes. These results underscore the need for strategies to enhance nurses' job satisfaction and support systems to mitigate migration tendencies. This study contributes valuable insights into the high inclination of Turkish nurses toward emigration.

Changes in subjective well-being and stress of older adults before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study in Switzerland.

PURPOSE: Despite the concerns about older adults' overall quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, they often demonstrated better resilience, adaptability, and subjective well-being (SWB) than younger individuals. However, longer-term trends remain unclear. This study aims to describe older adults' trajectories in SWB dimensions before, during, and after the pandemic spanning 2017-2022. METHODS: This study used piecewise growth curve analysis on a subsample of the Swiss Household Panel to investigate the population-average (n individuals = 3086; n = observations = 13,780) trajectories of SWB dimensions and stress among adults aged 65 and older between 2017 and 2022. We also tested whether these trajectories differed by age, gender, and household income. RESULTS: Life satisfaction and positive affect remained stable among older people during the pandemic (2019-2021) but declined after. Negative affect increased during the pandemic and decreased afterward, while stress levels increased slightly before and significantly after the pandemic. The trajectories did not differ by gender or household income, but the oldest-old (> 75-year-old) had a more significant decline in positive affect and life satisfaction pre-pandemic (2017-2019) and stress during the pandemic (2020-2021). CONCLUSION: Research shows that older adults possess adaptation skills and emotional competencies, which enable them to navigate pandemic challenges. However, we show that the post-pandemic era presents more substantial challenges for this older population, who perhaps face more difficulties adapting to the new uncertain post-pandemic world. Further research needs to examine if these findings replicate in other contexts, for instance, where pandemic containment measures have been more stringent.

Learning from people with dementia what works well for well-being: interviews and focus groups.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous research has tended to prioritize the condition of dementia when investigating positive lived experiences, while there is no evidence that well-being becomes fundamentally different when living with dementia. The current exploratory qualitative study examined how people living with dementia describe how they realize their well-being, without treating dementia as a central concern, and specifically addressed people who are successful in maintaining their well-being. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Semi-structured face-to-face interviews (n=16) and two focus groups (n=13) were conducted with community-dwelling older people living with dementia, aged 65-93 years (68% male). Conversations covered contributors to experienced life satisfaction, and life enjoyment, and were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Two main themes described how people realize well-being. (1) To live a fulfilling life, participants engaged in activities in order to feel useful and relaxed, and they engaged with others, by interacting and sharing with others, and relying on others. (2) To have a positive attitude towards life, participants appreciated the good things in their current life, their lived life, and about their own person, and positively coped with difficulties by accepting them as part of life, not dwelling on the negative, and actively addressing difficulties. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The results appear to reflect universal ways of realizing well-being, justifying the use of universal models of well-being for people living with dementia. We can learn from people living with dementia that living a fulfilling life and having a positive attitude towards life are key to realizing their well-being.

Urban regrets (Unhappy metros: Satisfaction with life scale (SWLS)).

This is the first study of urban-rural happiness gradient using multi-item Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). A new finding is that urbanites fail especially on "If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing"-urban way of life tends to result in regrets. Effect sizes of urbanicity on subjective wellbeing (SWB) are substantial-about half of health-living in a metro depresses one's happiness as much as going half way from fair health to poor health, for instance.

Physical Exercise and Life Satisfaction of Urban Residents in China.

Currently, an increasing number of Chinese urban citizens are participating in daily physical exercise. Existing research has shown that physical exercise can increase life satisfaction. However, some studies also suggest that the relationship between the two is unstable. The purposes of this study are to examine physical exercise and to test its correlation with life satisfaction of urban residents in China. Data are obtained from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies, and we focus on urban residents. Our overall sample size is 7423 people, including 3641 females (49.05%) and 3782 males (50.95%), with an average age of 49.55 years old. Because the dependent variables are continuous variables, the multiple linear regression model is used for data analysis. We find that the life satisfaction of Chinese urban residents is on the high side. Our core discovery is that there is a significant positive relationship between the frequency and duration of physical exercise and life satisfaction. Our further discovery is that the frequency of physical exercise affects life satisfaction by influencing popularity and positive emotions. Similarly, the duration of physical exercise affects life satisfaction by influencing popularity and positive emotions. Whether it is the frequency or the duration of physical exercise, it can reflect the residents' attention to physical exercise. Physical exercise habits not only promote physical health by strengthening physical fitness but also promote mental health by alleviating depression and promote social communication by increasing social activities in the Chinese context. All of these can improve people's life satisfaction. Our research suggests that the improvement in life satisfaction not only needs the abundance of external material conditions but also needs the individual to improve their physical and mental health through physical exercise.

Associations of Eating Habits with Self-Rated Health and Life Satisfaction in Adolescents: A 42-Country Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the associations of eating habits with self-rated health and life satisfaction in adolescents using a multiple-country sample. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) 2013/2014 wave was used in this study. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data on independent variables including breakfast on weekdays, breakfast at weekends, and consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweets, and soft dirks. Outcomes included self-rated health and life satisfaction. Regression models were used to assess the associations between the independent variables and the two outcomes, separately, after controlling for covariates. Results were presented using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Of all the study participants (aged 11-15 years), 50.8% were girls. Compared with no consumption of breakfast on weekdays, eating breakfast for five days had 1.22 times greater likelihood for improved self-rated health (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.19-1.25, p < 0.001). Participants who ate breakfast for both days (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.36-1.46, p < 0.001) and one day (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.08-1.17, p < 0.001) were more likely to experience improved self-rated health compared to never eating breakfast at weekends. Five or more days for fruit and vegetable consumption resulted in better self-rated health (all p < 0.001). Similar results were found in terms of the associations of breakfast, fruit, and vegetable consumption with life satisfaction. For example, a higher frequency of fruit intake was associated with enhanced self-rated health (e.g., OR for more than once daily = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.34-1.51, p < 0.001) compared to no fruit consumption. Similarly, a higher-frequency vegetable intake, such as more than once daily (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.26-1.39, p < 0.001), was associated with improved self-rated health. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy eating habits, especially regular breakfast and a higher consumption of vegetables and fruit, are associated with better self-rated health and life satisfaction in school-aged children. Of note, the consumption of fruit would have the greatest impact on health and wellbeing outcomes. This study offers evidence that healthy eating habits can play a vital role in school-aged children's health and wellbeing, highlighting the practical significance of educating adolescents to develop healthy eating habits.

Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of the English Version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) for Non-Native English Speakers.

This cross-cultural study seeks to (a) investigate the internal structure of the English version of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) when administered to non-native English speakers (i.e., Asian individuals and (b) test for measurement invariance with its Italian counterpart). The whole sample comprises 338 participants, including 167 Asian international university students residing in the United States (50.3% females; Mage = 23.82, SD = 3.78) and 171 Italian university students living in Italy (69.6% females; Mage = 22.38, SD = 4.24). The dimensionality of the scale is assessed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) is employed to examine measurement invariance. The results confirm the one-dimensionality of the SWLS [χ2 = 9.815; df = 5; CFI = 0.989; TLI = 0.977; SRMR = 0.027]. Furthermore, achieving full strict invariance indicates that the SWLS items exhibit similar structures across both samples. The scale shows satisfactory internal reliability (α = 0.863, ω = 0.866). Overall, this study supports the cross-validity of the English version of the SWLS and underscores its robustness and suitability for assessing life satisfaction among non-native English speakers.

Reliability and validity of a Japanese version of the Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale.

Aim: The Brunnsviken Brief Quality of Life Scale (BBQ) is a popular quality of life measure, indexing satisfaction with and importance of six empirically selected life domains. Whether these domains hold cross-cultural validity remains largely unexplored. The current study developed and psychometrically validated a Japanese version of the BBQ (BBQ-J). Methods: Data were collected from 637 Japanese individuals aged between 20 and 87 years. We used t-tests, Pearson product-rate correlation coefficients, a reliability analysis, a confirmatory factor analysis, and an exploratory factor analysis to analyze the data, with 637 participants in all analyses. Results: There were no statistically significant gender differences on the BBQ-J. Confirmatory factor analysis of the BBQ-J revealed a 1-factor structure with six items. Convergent validity was confirmed by its association with life satisfaction, and negative convergent validity was confirmed by its negative correlation with depressive symptoms. Cronbach's alpha of the BBQ-J showed high internal consistency. Conclusion: Similar to the original version, the Japanese version of the BBQ is a valid and reliable self-administered measure of subjective quality of life for use in clinical and research settings.

The COVID-19 pandemic and wellbeing in Switzerland-worse for young people?

BACKGROUND: The key objective of our study was to describe the population-average trajectories of wellbeing, spanning the period of 2017-2022, comparing young people with other age groups. Moreover, we aimed to identify subgroups of young people who experienced disproportionate changes in wellbeing. METHODS: We used longitudinal data from six waves (2017-2022) of the Swiss Household Panel. Participants were at least 14 years old in 2017 and had at least one valid composite measure of wellbeing between 2017 and 2022 (n individuals = 11,224; n observations = 49,032). The data were typically collected with telephone or web interviewing. The age of participants ranged from 14 to 102, with a roughly equal distribution of men (51.1%) and women (48.9%). We conceptualized wellbeing as positive affect and life satisfaction, negative affect, stress and psychosomatic symptoms. We described the trajectories of wellbeing using piecewise growth curve analysis. We included sociodemographic characteristics to further describe wellbeing trajectories across subgroups of young people. These comprised (1) gender, (2) migration status, (3) partnership status, (4) living with parents, (5) education/employment status, (6) household income. RESULTS: Young people (age 14-25) experienced a steady decline in positive affect and life satisfaction throughout the entire period, with the greatest change occurring before the pandemic (2017-2019). The trajectories in this outcome were largely stable in other age groups. Moreover, young individuals showed a more pronounced increase in negative affect, particularly in the pre-pandemic years, compared to older groups. Negative affect increased during the pandemic, followed by a subsequent decline post-pandemic, observed similarly across all age groups. Among young people specifically, the trajectory of stress was similar to the one of negative affect. However, issues such as sleep problems, weakness, weariness, and headaches continued to increase in this population from 2017 to 2022. We also found evidence for a greater increase in negative affect during the pandemic in young women and those not in employment or education. CONCLUSIONS: Given the fact that the decline in young people's wellbeing in Switzerland started two years before the pandemic, our study emphasises the importance of consideing their wellbeing within a broader systemic context beyond pandemic-related changes.

The effect of spiritual support on life satisfaction in Iranian patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancer not only impose significant physical challenges but also deeply affect patients emotionally and psychologically, significantly influencing their overall quality of life. Among the various factors that can positively impact life satisfaction in individuals facing gastrointestinal cancer, spirituality emerges as a crucial aspect. This study aimed to determine the effect of a spiritual intervention on life satisfaction in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted with two groups of 85 gastrointestinal cancer patients from two major hospitals in Tehran. The intervention group received spiritual support through social media for six sessions over three weeks to learn how to effectively improve their spiritual state. The control group received routine medical visits and care. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was used before and after the spiritual support in both the intervention and control groups. The research was approved by the institutional ethics committee. Results: In the pre-test stage, there was no significant difference in average life satisfaction between the intervention and control groups (t = 1.887, d = 0.30, p > 0.05). However, positive changes occurred in the post-test stage. Notably, the disparity in average life satisfaction between the intervention and control groups was significant in the post-test stage (t = 13.118, d = 0.95, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the result showed that the changes in life satisfaction in the intervention group were statistically significant (t = 11.854, d = 0.84, p < 0.001). Changes in life satisfaction in the control group were not statistically significant in the pre-test stage compared to the post-test stage (t = 1.113, d = 0.10, p > 0.05). Conclusion: The results can guide health care providers in dealing with the problems of cancer patients. Assessing patients' spiritual needs and empowering them to promote their spiritual recovery and find meaning in their suffering can lead to improved quality of life and satisfaction with holistic care.

Life satisfaction among Spanish children and adolescents participating in Physical Education.

Life satisfaction has been determined as a cognitive indicator of subjective wellbeing, a term that acquires vital relevance during adolescence as a protective factor against numerous psychological, mental and social disorders. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: (1) to evaluate differences in life satisfaction as a function of gender and school environment in Spanish children and adolescents; and (2) examine the possible associations between life satisfaction and age and/or body mass index (BMI) of the student body. For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was carried out with 723 students (aged 6 to 18 years) in which the "Satisfaction with life Scale" was applied, consisting of 5 items that measure self-perception of life satisfaction. Nonparametric statistics (Mann-Whitney U test) were used to explore differences in scores according to sex and school environment, in addition to Spearman's Rho test to identify associations between scale scores and students' age and BMI. Significant differences were obtained in terms of sex in favor of the male gender, and between the two environments of the centers in favor of the rural ones. In addition, the two variables explored (age and BMI) showed significant inverse associations with life satisfaction levels. Therefore, educational interventions and policies must take this information into account to design and develop actions aimed at improving this cognitive factor.

Volunteer programs, empowerment, and life satisfaction in Jordan: mapping local knowledge and systems change to inform public policy and science diplomacy.

Introduction: Volunteering in the community is thought to provide unique benefits to people who experience limited engagement in society. In the global South, volunteer programs are often framed as empowering women and benefiting the poor, without empirical evidence or systematic investigation of what this means from a local perspective. For this reason, it is critical to represent stakeholder knowledge, understand how change happens systemically, and reduce cultural bias in scientific inquiry and public policy. As such, efforts to respect diverse narratives and problem-solving approaches are key to science diplomacy - they help us understand cultural relevance, program efficacy, and for whom a program is considered transformative. Methods and results: This study shows how Syrian refugee and Jordanian women, living in resource-poor families, articulated (i) concepts of empowerment and life satisfaction and (ii) the benefits of engaging in community-based volunteering programs. Through engaging in a participatory methodology known as Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, women generated visual representations of these constructs and cause-and-effect reasoning. They identified several dimensions of empowerment (e.g., cultural, financial, and psychological empowerment) and several meanings of life satisfaction (e.g. adaptation, acceptance, and contentment). They also mapped connections between variables, identifying those that might catalyze change. We were specifically interested in evaluating understandings of We Love Reading, a program that trains volunteers to become changemakers in their local community. In simulations, we modelled how employment, education, money, and volunteering would drive system change, with notable results on cultural empowerment. Discussion: Through visual maps and scenarios of change, the study demonstrates a participatory approach to localizing knowledge and evaluating programs. This is key to improving scientific enquiry and public policy.

Effect of inpatient rehabilitation on the quality of life and life satisfaction in spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: Assess the impact of inpatient rehabilitation on the quality of life and life satisfaction of individuals with spinal cord injury by considering the level of injury. DESIGN: QuasiExperimental study. SETTING: Rehabilitation Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 71 Patients with Spinal cord injury were admitted for rehabilitation. INTERVENTION: The quality of life and life satisfaction of patients were assessed both before and after 63 days of inpatient rehabilitation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Functional independence measure score (FIM), the Short Form-36 (SF-36), and the Life Satisfaction Scale (LSS). RESULT: The average age of the study population was 34 ± 14 years. At the end of 63 days, significant improvements were observed in FIM, mood, health, physical performance, role physical, role emotional, pain, and total score of LSS (Π - Value <0.05). The variation in FIM changes significantly improved the total LSS score in the thoracic and thoracolumbar subgroups, but not in the cervical group. In addition, the total score of SF36 was improved significantly just in the cervical subgroup (Π = 0.006). No significant correlations were found between SF-36 and LSS scores (before and after the intervention) in relation to marriage, education, and time. CONCLUSION: In the context of spinal cord injury, inpatient rehabilitation can play a role in improving functional independence which, in turn, impacts certain aspects affecting life satisfaction and the quality of life. It is important to note that the extent of this correlation varies among patients with different injury levels. In some cases, even minor changes, such as those seen in quadriplegic patients, could have a significant impact on their quality of life.

Determinants of Health Status and Life Satisfaction among Older South Koreans.

South Korea is a rapidly aging society with the lowest fertility rates among the OECD economies. It is projected to become a super-aged society in 2025, with the share of individuals older than 65 reaching twenty percent. These developments make it important to analyze the determinants of health outcomes in older individuals. In this study, we identified the determinants of subjective and objective health outcomes among senior individuals in South Korea. We used self-rated health and life satisfaction scores as the two subjective health status indicators, while the number of chronic diseases was the objective one. We ran Tobit multivariate regressions of all three indicators on a set of factors related to the older citizens' physical, economic, and social characteristics. Active employment status and willingness to work in the future were positively related to self-rated health level but were not statistically related to life satisfaction, while income positively affected both subjective health status indicators. Age did not appear to affect satisfaction with life. Active leisure activities were positively related to both self-rated health and life satisfaction. In contrast, passive leisure, such as watching TV, was negatively related to both health status indicators while being associated with an increased number of chronic diseases. Our findings suggest that older South Koreans view employment primarily as a means of financial support rather than as an opportunity for active social engagement.

Diversity in productive activities enhances life satisfaction among Japanese community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study.

Few studies have reported an association between diversity in productive activities and life satisfaction; hence, this cross-sectional study conducted in Japan aimed to clarify this association. We assessed the life satisfaction of 4,498 Japanese community-dwelling older adults engaged in productive activities (e.g., paid work, volunteering, taking care of children, and supporting others) using the Life Satisfaction Scale. We took the sum of the number of engaging productive activities as the diversity in productive activities score. A dose-response relationship was observed for each additional productive activity on life satisfaction. Participants who engaged in one, two, three, or four productive activities were more likely to have higher life satisfaction than those who did not engage; the odds ratios (95 % confidence intervals) were 1.19 (1.02-1.39), 1.19 (1.00-1.42), 1.71 (1.37-2.13), and 2.27 (1.58-3.27), respectively. Diversity in productive activities may enhance higher life satisfaction likelihood among Japanese community-dwelling older adults.

The Association Between Active Membership in Voluntary Organizations and Homonegativity.

OBJECTIVES:  Homonegativity adversely affects the health and well-being of homosexuals in society, making it vital to identify factors associated with it. This study investigates whether active membership in voluntary organizations correlates with homonegativity, examining how this varies by gender and age. METHODS:  Using the World Values Survey data (2017-2022) from 87,777 participants in 63 countries, we performed binary logistic regression to assess relationships between homonegativity and factors including socioeconomic status, demographics, and voluntary activity participation. RESULTS:  Our findings suggest that active membership in certain voluntary organizations correlates with homonegativity levels among both men and women across various age groups. Specifically, active participation in sports or recreational organizations, professional associations, art, music, or educational organizations, and humanitarian or charitable organizations was found to be negatively correlated with homonegativity in specific gender-age groups, albeit with varying degrees of association strength. CONCLUSION:  This study highlights the complex relationship between engagement in voluntary organizations and attitudes toward homosexuality, with significant differences observed across gender and age. While identifying a correlation rather than causation, this study suggests the importance of societal and community participation in fostering more tolerant views toward homosexuals. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that demographic and socioeconomic variables, the political freedom of the respondent's country, and the respondent's life satisfaction are also linked to homonegativity.

Autistic adults in China and the Netherlands: Proxy-reported community integration and life satisfaction.

LAY ABSTRACT: Even though there are about 10 million Chinese autistic individuals, we know little about autistic adults in China. This study examined how well young autistic adults in China integrate into their communities (such as having a job, living independently and having friends) and how satisfied they are with their lives as reported by their caregivers. We compared them to autistic adults with similar characteristics (such as high support needs) from the Netherlands. We included 99 autistic adults in China and 109 in the Netherlands (18-30 years). In both countries, autistic adults were reported to have a hard time fitting into their communities. They often had no work, did not live on their own and had few close friends. Also, in both countries, caregivers reported that autistic adults felt low satisfaction with their life. Chinese adults were less satisfied with their life than Dutch adults, as indicated by their caregivers. This could be because of a lack of support for autistic adults in China, higher parental stress in Chinese caregivers, or general cross-country differences in happiness. Only in the Dutch group, younger compared with older adults fitted better into their communities, and adults without additional psychiatric conditions were reported to have higher life satisfaction. Country was a significant predictor of independent living only, with Dutch participants more likely living in care facilities than Chinese participants. In conclusion, our study shows that autistic adults with high support needs generally face similar challenges in both China and the Netherlands.

Perception matters: How air pollution influences life satisfaction in China.

Academic studies on environmental pollution have convincingly acknowledged the salient relevance of ambient pollutant emissions on individual life satisfaction. However, an understanding of how the different dimensions of air pollution influence public self-assessment of their living condition is required. This research investigates whether objective pollutant emissions and subjective evaluation influence individual life satisfaction. The findings were based on data from the China Environment Yearbook and China Social Survey in 2019. The multi-level linear regression model found that air pollutants emissions, including particulate matter (PM) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), failed to explain the variations in public life satisfaction because of the lag effect of public perception. A significant nexus between perceived air pollution and public life satisfaction was observed at a significance level of 0.01. Specially, as the perceived air pollution by the public increased by one-point, life satisfaction decreased by 0.22 on a scale of 1-10, on average. Heterogeneous analysis based on income further suggested the salient negative effect of PM emissions on life satisfaction only occurred in the high-income group. The findings were robust after various methodological analyses. This study has theoretical implications for understanding the effects of air pollution on public subjective perception and provides guidance for how the government can manage the relationship between environmental governance and life satisfaction.

Effects of life-story review on quality of life, depression, and life satisfaction in older adults in Oman: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for healthcare providers to develop life-story review interventions to enhance the mental well-being and quality of life of older adults. The primary aim of this study is to examine the effects of telling their life stories and creating a life-story book intervention on QoL, depressive symptoms, and life satisfaction in a group of older adults in Oman. METHODS: A repeated-measures randomized controlled design was conducted in Oman. A total of 75 older adults (response rate = 40.1%) were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 38) or control (n = 37) groups. Demographic data were collected as the baseline. Depression, life satisfaction, and quality of life scores were collected from each participant at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8. RESULTS: Their average age is 67.3 ± 5.5 years (range 60-82 years). There are more women (n = 50, 66.7%) than men. Over the 8 weeks, the intervention group exhibited a notable decrease in depression (intervention: 2.5 ± 1.2 vs. control: 5.3 ± 2.1, p < .001) but an increase in life satisfaction (24.6 ± 3.1 vs. 21.9 ± 6.1, p < .001) and quality of life (physical: 76.2 ± 12.7 vs. 53.6 ± 15.5, p < .001; psychological: 76.4 ± 12.1 vs. 59.9 ± 21.5, p < .001; Social relation: 78.3 ± 11.7 vs. 61.8 ± 16.6, p < .001; environment: 70.8 ± 10.2 vs. 58.6 ± 16.1, p < .001) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The life-story review intervention proved effective in diminishing depression and boosting life satisfaction and quality of life among the older sample within the 8-week study. Healthcare providers can apply such interventions to improve older adults' mental health and well-being.

Social participation and mental well-being: Does purpose in life mediate the association among older adults?

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the association of social participation with mental well-being among older people and whether purpose in life mediates the potential association. METHOD: Cross-sectional (n = 1014) and longitudinal (n = 660, four-year follow-up) data comprised of three age cohorts (75, 80, and 85 years) of community-dwelling people. Life satisfaction was measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale, depressive symptoms with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and purpose in life with the Scales of Psychological Well-Being purpose in life subscale. Social participation was assessed with questions concerning the frequency of meeting close friends and acquaintances, and volunteering. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Higher social participation was associated with higher life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms both cross-sectionally and after a four-year follow-up. Higher purpose in life mediated the associations of more social participation with higher life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms cross-sectionally. In the longitudinal data, the mediation effect was not observed. CONCLUSION: Older people with frequent social participation who had a sense of purpose in their lives will likely have higher mental well-being than those with less social participation. Enabling and supporting them to conduct purposeful actions in social contexts may help maintain their mental well-being.