Life-management strategies of selection, optimization and compensation: Measurement by self-report and construct validity.

Abstract

The authors examined the usefulness of a self-report measure for elective selection, loss-based selection. optimization, and compensation (SOC) as strategies of life management. The expected 4-factor solution was obtained in 2 independent samples (N = 218, 14-87 years; N = 181, 18-89 years) exhibiting high retest stability across 4 weeks (r(tt) = .74-82). As expected, middle-aged adults showed higher endorsement of SOC than younger and older adults. Moreover, SOC showed meaningful convergent and divergent associations to other psychological constructs (e.g., thinking styles, NEO) and evinced positive correlations with measures of well-being which were maintained after other personality and motivational constructs were controlled for. Initial evidence on behavioral associations involving SOC obtained in other studies is summarized.

Searching for the structure of coping: A review and critique of category systems for classifying ways of coping.

“…For example, work on selective optimization with compensation (P. B. Baltes & Baltes, 1990;Freund & Baltes, 2002) shows how the accommodative process of selection works together with the assimilative processes of compensation and optimization as effective life-management strategies in the face of loss.…”

Special Issue Introduction: The Meaning and Measurement of Thriving: A View of the Issues

“…Note: Derived from Lerner et al (2005b) and Roth and Brooks-Gunn (2003a) a fundamental strength of human development, the hypothesis was generated that, if the strengths of youth (e.g., as represented by the S, O, and C components of intentional self regulation; Freund and Baltes 2002;Gestsdóttir and Lerner 2008) are aligned with resources for healthy growth present in the key contexts of adolescent development-the home, the school, and the communitythen enhancements in positive functioning at any one point in time (i.e., well-being; Lerner 2004) will be more likely to occur; in turn, the systematic promotion of positive development (i.e., thriving; e.g., Lerner 2004;Lerner et al 2005a, b) will occur across time. A key subsidiary hypothesis is that there exist, across the key settings of youth development (i.e., families, schools, and communities) ''developmental assets'' , that is, features of the ecology of human development that support the growth of a healthy youth.…”

“…Findings from the 4-H Study provide evidence consistent with the ideas of Hypothesis 2, in that they illuminate the nature of both youth strengths and ecological assets and, as well, the links of these individual and contextual variables to PYD and youth Contribution. In a series of studies (Gestsdóttir and Lerner 2007a, b;Gestsdóttir et al 2009;Zimmerman et al 2007Zimmerman et al , 2008, youth strengths, as instantiated by intentional self-regulation skills, and indexed by a measure of Selection (S), Optimization (O) and Compensation (C) (Freund and Baltes 2002), were linked positively within and across the early adolescent through middle adolescent years (Grades 5-10) with PYD and Contribution; in turn, SOC scores were linked negatively to risk/problem behaviors across this portion of adolescence.…”

“…For instance, one example of the emerging strengths of adolescents is their ability to contribute intentionally to the adaptive developmental regulations with their context (Gestsdóttir and Lerner 2008). Such intentional self regulation may involve the selection of positive goals (e.g., drawing from the context the resources needed for adaptive functioning), using cognitive and behavioral skills (such as executive functioning or resource recruitment) to optimize the chances of actualizing ones purposes and, when goals are blocked or when initial attempts at optimization fail, possessing the capacity to compensate effectively (Baltes and Baltes 1990;Freund and Baltes 2002).…”

Special Issue Introduction: Thriving Across the Adolescent Years: A View of the Issues

“…1, the measurement model used in the 4-H Study involved assessments of individual characteristics of youth that, theoretically, were linked to individual developmental assets (Benson et al 2006(Benson et al , 2011 or youth strengths. Measures included here were of intentional self regulation, operationalized through the Baltes and colleagues' measure of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation (Baltes et al 1999;Freund and Baltes 2002; see also Gestsdottir and Lerner 2007); hopeful future expectations (e.g., Schmid et al 2011); and cognitive, emotional, and behavioral school engagement (Li and Lerner 2011).…”