Geropsychology Commons^™

Gardening As A Psychosocial Well-Being Activity For Adults: Integrating Eco-Wellness And Developmental Theory, Christopher T. Belser, Helene Tavormina, Ann O'Hanlon

Adultspan Journal

Prior research has demonstrated the myriad of benefits that gardening can offer individuals, ranging from physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits. Though the counseling literature has begun to address the nature-wellness connection via EcoWellness theory (Reese & Myers, 2012), little attention has been paid to the benefits of gardening as a psychosocial well-being activity for adult populations. In this manuscript, authors offer a conceptual framework built on EcoWellness theory, psychosocial development theory, life-span, life-space career theory, and selection, optimization, and compensation theory that contextualizes gardening as a beneficial activity for young adults, middle adults, and older adults. Authors present specific …

Supporting Latine Older Adults’ Nutrition And Physical Health Goals In Counseling, Zachary Mcniece, Jacqueline Bergman

Adultspan Journal

Latine older adults face disproportionate risk of chronic nutrition-related conditions and food insecurity, which can exacerbate or contribute to mental health-related concerns. Cultural stigma toward mental illness can result in Latine clients, especially older adults, somatizing symptoms and focusing on physical health goals in counseling. Despite these intersecting needs, counselors often overlook their clients' physical health goals due to limited training and the assumption that medical providers alone should address these needs. This article advocates for the integration of basic, culturally responsive nutrition information into counseling practice to support client well-being while remaining within the scope of practice. We offer …

A Wellness Approach To Aging, Retirement, And Suicide Risk: Gerontological Considerations, Seth T. Robinson, Derek J. Lee

Adultspan Journal

Suicide risk in older adulthood represents complex interactions between developmental transitions; changing social contexts; and interactions between ecological context and individual perceptions of belongingness, burdensomeness, and hope. This paper presents an integrative,developmentally appropriate framework for conceptualizing and addressing suicide risk in older adulthood, which is grounded in the Indivisible Self model of wellness. Drawing on current empirical knowledge of wellness, suicidality, and older adulthood, this paper presents risk and protective factors associated with older adulthood through life transitions, changing social contexts, and other relevant factors. We present a novel integration of suicide intervention, wellness, and holistic care as a suitable …

Retirement As A Psychosocial Transition: A Social Determinants Of Mental Health Framework For Counseling Practice, Janelle L. Jones, Lauren Robins, Melanie Calhoun, Aaliyah Bond-Richardson, Latesha S. Holloman, Zoe N. Stuckey

Adultspan Journal

Retirement is commonly framed as a normative and voluntary developmental milestone; however, access to a psychologically healthy retirement is unevenly shaped by social, economic, and structural conditions. This conceptual article applies a social determinants of mental health (SDMH) framework to retirement, conceptualizing it as a complex psychosocial transition involving identity change, shifts in purpose and meaning, relational adjustment, and emotional variability. Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship, the manuscript examines how socioeconomic status, race and ethnicity, gendered work histories, caregiving responsibilities, health status, and access to benefits influence both the ability to retire and the experience of retirement itself. Particular attention is …

Integrating Positive Psychology And Spirituality To Foster Meaning And Well-Being In Older Adults, Crystal Morris

Adultspan Journal

This perspective article explores the integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) and spirituality in therapy to foster meaning and well-being in older adults. It highlights exercises such as the positive introduction, positive legacy, character strengths, mindfulness, mindful-based yoga, and a manifestation prayer journaling. The interventions presented are tools to support older adults that may experience depression, difficult life transitions, and the search for renewed meaning. Therapists who integrate PPIs and spirituality into therapy can promote a holistic, non-pathological approach to treatment.

Factors Affecting The Joy Of Life In Old Age: A Scale Development Study, Yalçın Karagöz, Yusuf Karaşi̇n, Mustafa Filiz, Mehmet Ateş

Adultspan Journal

This study aims to introduce a measurement tool into the literature that can reveal the factors affecting the joy of life in older adulthood. Participants included 266 individuals aged 55 and over living in Izmir, Turkey. The process of developing the scale includes the following stages: problem identification, item pool creation, expert opinion, form shaping, pilot application, and finalizing the scale. The exploratory factor analysis revealed that the scale consists of 6 different dimensions, and the variance explained by these dimensions was found to be 65.184%. The acceptable values for the scale's fit indicators are as follows: χ²/df0.90, IFI > 0.90, …

Using The Gerontological Imagination To Explore Suicide Among Older Adults: An Interdisciplinary Perspective For Professional Counselors, Mary Chase Mize, Afroze Shaikh

Adultspan Journal

Gerontology, the study of aging and older adulthood, is a vast field consisting of many intersecting disciplines, such as medicine, nutrition, public policy, psychology, social work, and professional counseling. As the older adult population rapidly increases, so too will the prevalence of mental health concerns among this population, including risk for suicide. Older adults presently comprise 16.5% of the U.S. population, yet account for 19.3% of all deaths by suicide (Drapeau & McIntosh, 2020). Professional counselors are newly eligible Medicare providers and can close gaps in healthcare access for older adults who rely on Medicare to receive mental health services, …

Providing End-Of-Life Counseling: A Narrative Inquiry, Carol Hecht, Sibyl West

Adultspan Journal

This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in the research related to end-of-life counseling by exploring the experiences of counselors working with clients at end of life. While counseling literature and education are lacking regarding end of life, many counselors will work alongside clients approaching death. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to better understand the nuanced experiences of counselors providing end-of-life counseling and (b) to explore the supports and preparations helpful for counselors to provide end-of-life counseling. A narrative approach, using the Listening Guide (Gilligan, 2015), was employed to analyze and present the stories of three …

Mental Health Distress And Suicide Risk Among Older Adults Who Receive Nutrition Services Programming: Implications For Licensed Professional Counselors., Brittany R. Jones-Cobb, Jihee Hong, Mary Chase Breedlove Mize, Laura Shannonhouse

Adultspan Journal

Licensed professional counselors (LPCs) are now eligible to provide mental health counseling to older adults as Medicare providers. Many older adults receive home delivered (HDM) and congregate (CM) meal services through the Aging Services Network, though their mental health impact remains under examined. This study compared the mental health and suicide risk of older adults receiving HDM or CM services. Our cross-sectional study of 221 HDM and 150 CM recipients from 2018-2020 found significant group differences in psychological distress, t(366) = 3.28, p = .001, perceived burdensomeness; t(357.31) = 2.77, p = .006, and thwarted belongingness, t(357.96) …

Considerations Of Medicare Telehealth Services With Older Adults, Sonah Kho, Amanda Dediego

Adultspan Journal

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic set in motion a rapid expansion of mental health services offered via telehealth. With this rapid expansion came the need to examine how policy and practice should be shaped in a future where telehealth is considered common in counseling practice. For counselors to understand how to support older adult clients in using telehealth services, they must understand telehealth policy. Following the eligibility of licensed counselors to participate in Medicare, counselors need to stay abreast of regulatory changes regarding restrictions and regulations on use of telehealth for mental and behavioral health services, including video and …

Introduction To The Special Issue On Medicare Inclusion Of Counselors: Preparing The Counseling Workforce To Serve Older Adults, Matthew C. Fullen, Jordan Westcott

Adultspan Journal

Introduction to the special issue on Medicare Inclusion of Counselors: Preparing the Counseling Workforce to Serve Older Adults.

Special Issue Editors:

Matthew Fullen, Virginia Tech

Jordan Westcott, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Emotion Regulation Strategies And Perceived Emotional Intelligence: The Effect Of Age., Iwanna Sepiadou

Adultspan Journal

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. We also investigated the possible effects of age on the aforementioned variables. The total sample consisted of 379 people (158 men, 220 women, 1 unreported). Across participants, 273 were young (20-39 years old) and 106 were middle-aged (40-65 years old). We found statistically significant positive correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and negative primarily correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of …

Multicultural Gerotranscendence: A Theoretical Approach To Working With Older Adults, Whitney George, Danielle Schlittler

Adultspan Journal

With the growing number of the aging population, the call for counselors to understand the developmental processes of all clients is essential. The theories of gerotranscendence and multicultural counseling and therapy are central to the understanding of adult development in later life. The use of these two theories together provides a theoretical basis for counselors wishing to provide services to diverse older adults.

The Unequal Distribution Of Social Risk For Black Men Across The Life-Span. A Novel Framework., Waleed Y. Sami

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual overview offers a comprehensive overview of systemic pathways that negatively impact the mental health of Black Men throughout their lives. Our argument highlights the importance for counselors and mental health professionals to utilize a thorough social risk assessment that considers these pathways in order to effectively address the mental health needs of Black Men while fostering positive working relationships. This overview strongly advocates for the use of context and structural determinants when evaluating mental health symptoms. Without an appropriate understanding of social risk and determinants, counselors may inadvertently perpetuate disparities by decontextualizing symptomology, and reproducing racist discourse.

Integrating Feminist Approaches In Counseling Work With Adult Women, Kristen M. Toole

Adultspan Journal

The scope of ‘women’s issues’ in counseling is an ever-evolving landscape. Recent events such as the reversal of Roe v. Wade and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women serve as powerful reminders of the necessity of this focus while underscoring a deep-rooted history of oppressive patriarchal structures. Therefore, counselors must remain informed of the unique considerations surrounding adult women in counseling and acquire proficiency in versatile techniques to meet this population’s nuanced needs. This article examines the complexity of contemporary womanhood and explores the fundamentals of Feminist Counseling Theory (FCT), a holistic, multiculturally conscious, social justice theory in counseling. …

Utilization Of The Social Determinants Of Mental Health Framework With Older Adults For Assessment, Case Conceptualization, And Treatment Planning, Janelle L. Jones, Julia Lancaster, Lauren Robins, Wendy K. Killam, Matthew L. Nice, Bisola Duyile

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual paper will aid counselors and mental health professionals in obtaining insight to utilizing a Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework with older adult clients. Further, the article incorporates the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies to further contextualize the therapeutic alliance. The authors utilize the Social Determinants of Mental Health Framework to frame counseling assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning to improve the mental health outcomes of older adults. The article utilizes a specific case example to assess, conceptualize, and plan treatment for an older adult client contextualized in their environment.

Longitudinal Associations Between Personal Growth And Cognitive Functioning In Adulthood, Masahiro Toyama

Psychology Faculty Research

Objectives: While personal growth has been found to be associated with multiple aspects of health in adulthood, its associations with cognitive functioning have not been fully understood. The present study aimed to assess both directions of such longitudinal associations.

Method: Using data from the second wave (Time 1 [T1]) and third wave (Time 2 [T2]) of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study (N = 4,206; mean age = 56.0 [standard deviation (SD) = 12.3]), a longitudinal measurement model containing latent variables of episodic memory and executive function was first constructed. Built on the measurement model, a …

The Role Of Familiarity And The Age-Based Double Standard In Evaluating Memory And Iadl Errors, Kristopher J. Kimbler, Ashley M. Escalon

Adultspan Journal

Research suggests that errors committed by older adults are viewed as more problematic than identical errors committed by younger adults. This study is the first to examine whether these age-based biases are found when evaluating social partners. The current study (N = 162) used a 2 X 2 (target age: young vs. old; familiarity: hypothetical vs. social partner) between-subjects design to assess the extent that familiarity influences the evaluations of errors committed by others. Findings suggest that age-based biases do not differ when evaluating social partners compared to hypothetical targets. Implications for counselors and other healthcare professionals are included.

Longitudinal Associations Of Perceived Mastery And Constraints With Coping And Their Implications For Functional Health For Aging Adults, Masahiro Toyama, Joel M. Hektner

Psychology Faculty Research

The present study examined longitudinal associations of distinct dimensions of perceived control (i.e., perceived mastery and constraints) with approach and avoidance coping relating to functional health for aging adults, which had not been well studied previously. Using data from two waves of Midlife in the United States (N = 4,963, whose mean age was 55.4 [SD = 12.5]), a longitudinal path model was analyzed for direct and indirect effects among perceived mastery and constraints, approach and avoidance coping, and functional limitations. Bidirectional associations were observed between perceived mastery and approach coping and between perceived constraints and avoidance coping. …

Longitudinal Implications Of Social Integration For Age And Gender Differences In Late-Life Physical Functioning, Masahiro Toyama, Heather R. Fuller, Jonix Owino

Psychology Faculty Research

Social integration has documented benefits for late-life health; yet, little is known about its impacts on trajectories of physical functioning. This study examines age and gender differences in the longitudinal associations between social integration and activities of daily living (ADLs) using a hierarchical linear model with three waves of survey data collected over 4 years from the Social Integration and Aging Study (N = 400; baseline mean age = 80.3). Findings indicated some interaction effects of age, gender, and/or social integration on ADL trajectories. Among those of more advanced age, women showed greater increases in ADL limitations than men, …

Longitudinal And Age-Related Implications Of Primary And Secondary Control For Hedonic And Eudaimonic Well-Being, Masahiro Toyama

Psychology Faculty Research

The longitudinal associations of primary and secondary control with two distinct aspects of happiness including hedonic/subjective and eudaimonic/psychological well-being had not been fully studied. The present study aimed to contribute to the literature by examining these associations and their age differences. Using data from the second and third waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS; N = 4963, aged 28 to 84 at baseline), the present study conducted structural equation modeling analyses to examine whether one primary control strategy (persistence in goal striving) and two secondary control strategies (positive reappraisals and lowering aspirations) predicted residualized changes in the …

Longitudinal Associations Of Conscientiousness And Neuroticism With Perceived Mastery And Constraints For Aging Adults, Masahiro Toyama, Heather R. Fuller, Joel M. Hektner

Psychology Faculty Research

It has not been well understood how conscientiousness and neuroticism are associated with two related but distinct dimensions of perceived control (i.e., perceived mastery and constraints) among aging adults. The present study examined these associations and their change over time, while addressing whether they differ by age or gender. For respondents aged 50+ at baseline (N = 2,768) in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, multilevel modeling analyses were conducted to assess how conscientiousness and neuroticism predicted perceived mastery and constraints over 2 decades. As expected, higher conscientiousness and lower neuroticism (for both between- and within-person variability) predicted …

Longitudinal Stress-Buffering Effects Of Social Integration For Late-Life Functional Health, Masa Toyama, Heather R. Fuller

Psychology Faculty Research

Stress can negatively affect multiple aspects of health, including functional health, among older adults, who are likely to face unique, age-related stressful experiences. Previous research has addressed the protective effects of social relations (i.e., social ties, social participation, and social integration) for physical and mental health outcomes, yet few studies have examined functional health. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal stress-buffering effects of social integration on late-life functional health. Using three-wave data from 399 older adults (aged older than 60 years), two-level hierarchical linear modeling analysis was conducted and the results indicated that in addition to its main effect …

Psychosocial Factors Promoting Personal Growth Throughout Adulthood, Masahiro Toyama, Heather R. Fuller, Joel M. Hektner

Psychology Faculty Research

Personal growth is essential in the lives of adults of any age and is associated with a variety of well-being outcomes. Building on previous research on psychosocial factors associated with personal growth, the present study aimed to investigate whether and how psychosocial factors (including working, generativity, positive interpersonal relationships, and spirituality) could affect aging adults’ personal growth longitudinally. Using three waves of Midlife in the United States data from adults with baseline ages of 20–75, two-level hierarchical linear modeling analyses were conducted to examine the effects of psychosocial factors as well as age and gender on levels and trajectories of …