Resultados: 1) A idade, a escolaridade e o local de residência apresentaram uma correlação significativa e no sentido esperado com a saúde física e mental, e com o afeto positivo. O tipo de resposta social dos idosos mostrou-se associado a quase todas as variáveis em estudo. Globalmente, os idosos que se encontram no seu domicílio apresentam uma maior satisfação com a vida, uma melhor saúde física e mental, mais traços compassivos, e mais afeto positivo, comparativamente aos que se encontram sob resposta social; 2) Foram encontradas associações significativas e no sentido esperado entre a autocompaixão, bem-estar subjetivo e estado de saúde; 3) A perceção da saúde física está associada a uma maior satisfação com a vida e menor idade do idoso; a perceção da saúde mental está associada ao aumento da satisfação com a vida, da autocompaixão e diminuição dos afetos negativos; e, por último, a satisfação com a vida está associada a uma superior saúde física e autocompaixão. Conclusões: Estes resultados sugerem a importância do desenvolvimento de estratégias psicológicas que permitam lidar de forma mais calorosa, tolerante e aceitante o sofrimento resultante dos momentos difíceis típicos da idade avançada, apoiando o possível benefício das terapias focadas na compaixão junto desta população específica, nomeadamente na promoção da satisfação com a vida e saúde mental. ABSTRACT Keywords Self-compassion Physical health Mental health Subjective well-being Satisfaction with lifeIntroduction: The growth in aging population is a society major advance but also entails many challenges, imposing the need for actions promoting successful aging, with higher subjective well-being and better health. Objectives: To analyse how self-compassion, satisfaction with life, affect, physical and mental health are associated in advanced age, controlling for the effect of sex, age, schooling, place of residence and type of participants' social response. Additionally, this study sought out to explore the variables that better predict satisfaction with life and health in the elderly. Method: The study sample included 155 individuals, aged between 65 and 94 years old, from Coimbra and Leiria districts. Participants completed a set of instruments in an interview format. Results: 1) Age, schooling and place of residence were significantly correlated in the expected direction with physical and mental health, as well as positive affect. Participants' type of social response was associated with almost all variables. In general, the elderly living at their own home had a higher satisfaction with life, better physical and mental health, more compassionate traits, and more positive affect, when compared to those attending a social response; 2) Significant associations in the expected direction were also found between self-compassion, subjective well-being and health; 3) Greater life satisfaction and younger age were the best predictors of physical health; mental health was best predicted by increased satisfaction with life, self-compassion and decreased ...

IntroductionThe increase in aging population is a major advance in society, but also a great challenge, imposing the need for actions that promote successful aging, with higher subjective well-being and better health.Objectives(1) analyse the possible influence of socio-demographic variables in self-compassion, satisfaction with life, affection, physical and mental health (study variables); (2) understand how is that the study variables are associated with each other in old age; and (3) explore which variables best predict satisfaction with life and health in the elderly.MethodThe study sample consists of 155 individuals, aged between 65 and 94 years old, institutionalised and non-institutionalised.Results(1) significant correlations were found between some demographic and the study variables. (2) Significant associations were also found between self-compassion, subjective well-being and health. (3) linear regression analysis revealed that physical health is best predicted by greater life satisfaction and lower age; mental health is best predicted by increased satisfaction with life, self-compassion and decreased negative affect; and, finally, life satisfaction is predicted by a higher physical health and self-compassion.ConclusionsThese results suggest the importance of developing psychological skills such as warmth, tolerance and the acceptance of suffering bearing in mind that the elderly may experience difficulties resulting from the developmental characteristics of old age. Our findings suggest the possible beneficial effect of compassion, focused therapies designed for this specific population, particularly contributing to the promotion of life satisfaction and mental health of the Portuguese elderly.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Face ao reconhecimento da importância da participação social como fator promotor de envelhecimento bem-sucedido, procura-se, através de um estudo de natureza quantitativo, analisar os efeitos de variáveis sociodemográficas e da participação social em atividades/programas de base comunitária, promovidas por um município da zona centro de Portugal, ao nível da qualidade de vida de pessoas com mais de 56 anos, residentes no concelho.