Childhood adversities and home atmosphere as determinants of resilience in old age: findings from the Helsinki birth cohort study

Sini Siltanen (), Katja Pynnönen, Sini M. Stenroth, Katja Kokko, Markus J. Haapanen, Niko S. Wasenius, Merja K. Laine, Tuija M. Mikkola, Johan G. Eriksson and Mikaela B. Bonsdorff
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Sini Siltanen: Folkhälsan Research Center
Katja Pynnönen: University of Jyväskylä
Sini M. Stenroth: Folkhälsan Research Center
Katja Kokko: University of Jyväskylä
Markus J. Haapanen: Folkhälsan Research Center
Niko S. Wasenius: Folkhälsan Research Center
Merja K. Laine: Folkhälsan Research Center
Tuija M. Mikkola: Folkhälsan Research Center
Johan G. Eriksson: Folkhälsan Research Center
Mikaela B. Bonsdorff: Folkhälsan Research Center

European Journal of Ageing, 2025, vol. 22, issue 1, No 4, 9 pages

Abstract: Abstract Early life stress has far-reaching effects on various aspects of well-being in later life, but whether it impacts resilience, i.e., the ability to tolerate hardship, in old age remains unclear. We investigated whether childhood adversities and childhood home atmosphere are associated with resilience in old age directly or indirectly through poorer physical and psychological functioning in late middle age. The data comprised 1176 persons born in 1934–1944 and were collected over a 17-year follow-up in 2001–2018. Childhood adversities (greater score indicates more adversities) and home atmosphere (greater score indicates better atmosphere) were assessed retrospectively. Resilience in old age was measured with the Hardy-Gill Resilience Scale, depressive symptoms in late middle age with the Beck Depression Inventory, and hand grip strength in late middle age with a dynamometer. Data were analyzed with path modeling with depressive symptoms and grip strength set as mediators. We found that a greater number of childhood adversities and a poorer home atmosphere were associated with poorer resilience in old age (β = − .13; p

Keywords: Coping; Mediation model; Grip strength; Depressive symptoms; Positive adaptation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10433-025-00839-z

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