Perceived Stress and Coping Resource Availability as Predictors of Life Satisfaction in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults

Abstract

Global satisfaction with life across three age groups (18 to 40 years, 41 to 65 years, and 66 years and above) was investigated. Multiple regressions were computed to examine the separate and joint effects of perceived stress and coping resource availability upon life satisfaction across the three age groups (N = 189). Age differences in perceived stress, coping resource availability, and life satisfaction, were also investigated. Results of this cross-sectional investigation indicated that self-appraisal measures of perceived stress and coping resource effectiveness served as moderate predictors of global life satisfaction, and that for the total sample the combined effects of perceived stress and coping resource effectiveness were better predictors of life satisfaction than either variable considered separately. Perceived stress was found to be a better predictor of life satisfaction for younger adults, and coping resource effectiveness was a better predictor of satisfaction with life for middle-aged and older adults. Significant age differences in life satisfaction, perceived stress, and coping resources were also found. The assessment of perceived stress and coping has important implications for life satisfaction among all age groups, and has particular significance to older adults. By identifying age differences in variables associated with satisfaction with life, more effective efforts can be made to promote physical and psychological well-being in late adulthood.

Gratitude and Life Satisfaction: Mediating Role of Perceived Stress

“…The emerging findings on the relationship between gratitude and well-being in this study are in the life with previous research (e.g., Emmons & McCullough, 2003;Kong et al, 2015;McCullough et al, 2002;Wood et al, 2008aWood et al, , 2008b. The results are also compatible with previous studies on the relationship between stress and satisfaction with life (e.g., Hamarat et al, 2001;Lee et al, 2016;Simons et al, 2002;Wood et al, 2008b) and stress and gratitude (e.g., Lin, 2015;Wood et al, 2008b).…”

“…Findings revealed that perceived stress is a significant predictor of life satisfaction (Hamarat et al, 2001). Perceived stress was found positively linked with increased symptoms of minor psychiatric disorders and postnatal depression (Chaaya et al, 2010).…”

“…Most of the evidence corresponding to the relationships between gratitude, satisfaction with life, and stress (e.g., Emmons & McCullough, 2003;Hamarat et al, 2001;McCullough et al, 2002;Simons et al, 2002;Wood et al, 2008aWood et al, , 2008bWood et al, , 2009) are largely based on Western contexts, raising the issue of generalizability of the findings to the other cultural contexts. The present study is important in terms of offering evidence showing that the relationship between gratitude and satisfaction with life is cross-culturally valid in a non-western country.…”

“…Satisfaction with life is associated with gratitude and social support (Kong, Ding & Zhao, 2015;Wood, Joseph & Maltby, 2008a), optimism (Extremera, Durán & Rey, 2009), social relationships (Darling et al, 2007), and health seeking and health-promoting behaviours (Grant, Wardle & Steptoe, 2009). Furthermore, studies revealed that perceived stress and availability of coping recourses significantly predict life satisfaction (Hamarat et al, 2001;Simons et al, 2002).…”

Global life satisfaction predicts ambulatory affect, stress, and cortisol in daily life in working adults

“…In daily life, this may translate into experiencing better momentary affective states, less stress, and showing less indication of physiological stress. Although evidence from daily life is sparse, broadly consistent with this view, adults with higher levels of global life satisfaction report lower levels of perceived life stress (Hamarat et al, 2001). Second, that global life satisfaction may buffer against the negative effects of stress (Suldo & Huebner, 2004;Veenhoven, 2008).…”