Purpose in Life in Older Adults: A Systematic Review on Conceptualization, Measures, and Determinants

AshaRani Pv, Damien Lai, JingXuan Koh and Mythily Subramaniam
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AshaRani Pv: Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
Damien Lai: Geriatric Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore
JingXuan Koh: Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Clinical Sciences Building, Singapore 308207, Singapore
Mythily Subramaniam: Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747, Singapore

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-25

Abstract: Purpose in life (PIL) is a psychological construct that reflects one’s life goals and the desire or determination to pursue them. Having a purpose provides an intrinsic motivation to adopt healthy behaviors as we age, which will help us to achieve positive health outcomes. Thus, promoting PIL is the cornerstone for successful aging and better health outcomes. This systematic review aims to identify how PIL is conceptualized, measured in the existing literature and what are the determinants of PIL in older adults (≥65 years). Electronic searches were conducted in five databases (Medline, PsychInfo, Embase, CINAHL and Web of Science). A total of 44 studies were included in the review. PIL was conceptualized in six different ways: health and well-being, meaningful goals and purpose, inner strength, social relationships, mattering to others, and spirituality and religiousness. There were six main questionnaires and semi structured interviews used to capture PIL. Female gender, higher education and income, being married, ethnicity, health and well-being, inner strength, social integration and spirituality were associated with PIL. Majority of the included studies had low to moderate Risk of Bias (RoB) assuring confidence in the results. The conceptual frameworks of PIL identified in the review underscore the complexity of the construct. Several sociodemographic and other determinants of PIL were identified.

Keywords: purpose in life; older adults; conceptualization; measures; determinants (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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