Social Cognitive Factors Predicting the Health of Elders

Abstract

The social cognitive model of health is primarily concerned with influences on a person's decisions to perform health behaviors. In this study, the relationships among social cognitive factors reflecting enabling skills (learned resourcefulness), internal motivation for health (health self-determinism), and help responses (coping responses) and a measure of physical and psychosocial health were examined in 137 chronically ill elders. Gender, race, and number of chronic conditions were predictors of learned resourcefulness. Learned resourcefulness was associated with the use of informal help, whereas health self-determinism was related to self-help and formal help. None of the help responses were significant predictors of health. Model testing revealed that greater resourcefulness or skill in coping with stressful situations was the most important predictor of health. Strategies are recommended to help elders achieve optimal health.

Relationships Among Perceived Burden, Depressive Cognitions, Resourcefulness, and Quality of Life in Female Relatives of Seriously Mentally Ill Adults

“…Similarly, Zauszniewski (1996) found a significant relationship between depressive cognitions and lower personal and social resourcefulness in healthy, community dwelling elders, while greater personal resourcefulness was associated with the absence of depressive cognitions and with more adaptive functioning. Research has shown that resourcefulness leads to adaptive functioning in depressed adults (Zauszniewski, 1995(Zauszniewski, , 1996, life satisfaction in persons with chronic pain and healthy elders (Lefort, Gray-Donald, Rowart, & Jeans, 1998), and better perceived health in caregivers and in diabetic women (Rapp et al, 1998;Zauszniewski et al, 2001).…”

“…Studies also have shown that persons with greater resourcefulness report more positive affect, fewer depressive cognitions (Zauszniewski, Bekhet, Lai, McDonald, & Musil, 2007), and better self-rated health and functioning (Zauszniewski, Eggenschwiler, Preechawong, Roberts, & Morris, 2006). In addition, greater resourcefulness has been found to predict better self-care (Kreulen & Braden, 2004) and psychological and physical health (Zauszniewski et al, 2001) and to influence positive behavior change (Lévesque, Gauvin, & Desharnais, 2003).…”

“…Resourcefulness is a collection of well-learned cognitive behavioral self-control skills that may be used to regulate the potentially negative effects of thoughts, feelings, or sensations that might otherwise interfere with the performance of daily activities (Rosenbaum, 1990). Resourcefulness has been found to promote healthy, independent, and productive life styles in older adults (Zauszniewski, Chung, & Krafcik, 2001). Studies also have shown that persons with greater resourcefulness report more positive affect, fewer depressive cognitions (Zauszniewski, Bekhet, Lai, McDonald, & Musil, 2007), and better self-rated health and functioning (Zauszniewski, Eggenschwiler, Preechawong, Roberts, & Morris, 2006).…”

Longitudinal analysis of resourcefulness, family strain, and depressive symptoms in grandmother caregivers

“…Among those serving as caregivers to older adults, resourcefulness is related to better task performance, adaptive and social-role functioning, health behaviors, psychological well-being (Fingerman, Gallagher-Thompson, Lovett, & Rose, 1996; Gonzalez, 1997; Picot, Zauszniewski, & Delgado, 1997; Rapp, Schumaker, Schmidt, Naughton, & Anderson, 1998; Zauszniewski, 1996; Zauszniewski & Chung, 2001; Zauszniewski, Chung, & Krafcik, 2001) and to less caregiver burden (Intrieri & Rapp, 1994; Zauszniewski, 1997). Although grandmothers raising grandchildren report more depressive symptoms, they show no differences in resourcefulness (Musil et al, 2009) when compared with grandmothers living in multigenerational homes or who are non-caregivers to grandchildren.…”

Coping Strategies of Older Rural Bangladeshi Women With Health Problems

“…Furthermore, improved understanding of patients' perceptions of and views regarding their illness may benefit patient care as these perceptions can influence the ways in which individuals cope with and adapt to their illness (Caress, Luker, & Owens, 2008;Nannis, Patterson, & Semple, 1997). For example, health care providers might enhance coping strategies in older women by teaching them ways to reframe how they view unchangeable conditions and incorporate strategies to increase elders' comfort with chronic conditions (Martin, 2003;Zauszniewski, Chung, & Krafcik, 2001).…”