Stress on health-related quality of life in older adults: the protective nature of mindfulness

Abstract

Objectives: The current study examined whether the link between stress and health-related quality of life was buffered by protective factors, namely mindfulness, in a sample of middle-aged and older adults. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 134 healthy, community-dwelling adults (ages 50–85 years) were recruited from Dallas, TX. The participants were screened for depressive symptoms and severity (using the Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]). All participants completed measures of self-reported health status (i.e. SF36v2: mental and physical health composites), life stress (using the Elders Life Stress Inventory [ELSI]), and trait mindfulness (i.e. Mindful Attention Awareness Scale). Results: Hierarchical regressions (covarying for age, gender, and education) showed that life stress was inversely related to physical and mental health. Mindfulness was positively related to mental health. The negative effect of life stress on mental health was weakened for those individuals with higher levels of trait mindfulness. Conclusions: The results suggest that mindfulness is a powerful, adaptive strategy that may protect middle-aged and older adults from the well-known harmful effects of stress on mental health.

The effects of mindfulness‐based stress reduction on depression, anxiety, and stress in older adults: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Stress and negative life events are associated with detrimental effects on both physical and mental health in late‐life (Charles et al . ; de Frias & Whyne ). As older adults reach the ageing stage, they face multifarious changes including identity, living conditions, lifestyle that might be perceived as stressful (Fiocco & Mallya ).…”

“…). Mindfulness was also evidenced consistently as a viable protective factor to curtail the hazards of stress (de Frias & Whyne ; Gallegos et al . ).…”

“…). It tends to shift situational appraisal in a way that the person no longer perceives exposure to a stressor as a threat (de Frias & Whyne ), which could thus disarm the pathway of stressor reactivity. Mindfulness could hence serve as a protective psychological process for health.…”

Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Older Adults: a Review of the Effects on Physical and Emotional Well-Being

“…For example, in a large sample of adults ranging from 18-85 years of age, Raes et al (2015) found that age-related decreases in negative affect were mediated by self-reported mindfulness. Other studies have linked self-reported mindfulness in older adults to cognitive and emotional wellbeing (Fiocca & Mallya, 2015), successful aging (de Frias, 2013), and protection against stress (de Frias & Whyne, 2015). …”

Is unwilling volunteering protective for functional decline? The interactive effects of volunteer willingness and engagement on health in a 3‐year longitudinal study of Japanese older adults

“…Stress from the volunteer activities might account for the significant effect of unwilling volunteering on a decline in BADL. Stress is a significant predictor of physical and mental health, and it has many causes, such as existing physical and psychological health problems . More relevantly, it can be caused by excessive responsibilities within volunteer groups, such as taking on administrative roles or overloading on volunteer tasks…”