No abstract

This study aims to investigate the efficacy of religion/spirituality in promoting successful adjustment to stressful life experiences that may be associated with ageing, and the role of these factors in the recovery paradigm to reduce depression and to increase well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 217 senior citizens who consented to participate. After controlling for demographic variables, lower depression scores were recorded for those with higher levels of religious/spiritual coping, higher income and lower daily spiritual experiences. In addition, female participants were found to experience a lower level of well-being. Females or males who were much older experienced higher levels of well-being. These findings will be used to contribute to expanding the scope of social work services by addressing the role of daily spiritual experiences and mindfulness as effective recovery mechanisms for reducing depression and improving the well-being of elderly individuals.

This study examines the effects of an 8-week Parent Effective Training (PET) program on family communication and flexibility. Forty-two pairs of Korean parents were randomly assigned to either an experimental group that provided the PET program or a control group that did not offer the program. The two groups were compared on pre-, post-, and follow-up measures of PAC(Parent-Adolescent Communication), ENRICH(Enriching and Nurturing Relationship Issues, Communication and Happiness), and FACES(Family Adaptability Cohesion Evaluation Scale), while controlling for the effects of socio-demographic variables. Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed significant improvements in family communication between parents and children and between the husband and the wife but no such improvements in family flexibility. These findings suggest that the PET program is a useful short-term tool for Korean parents wishing to enhance family communication.