A longitudinal study of the psychological adaptation process to physical issues in old age : focusing on the role of gerotranscendence

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24530905
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: MASUI Yukie 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (10415507)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TAKAHASHI Ryutaro 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 副所長 (20150881) ; GONDO Yasuyuki 大阪大学, 人間科学研究科, 准教授 (40250196)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ARAI Yasumichi 慶應義塾大学, 医学部, 専任講師 (20255467) ; IKEBE Kazunori 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 准教授 (70273696) ; INAGAKI Hiroki 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (00311407) ; KAMIDE Kei 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (80393239)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 老年的超越 / 精神的健康 / 心理的well-being / 虚弱 / 前期高齢者 / 後期高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We considered the effects of gerotranscendence on the effects to mental health of frailty, a physical problem that occurs in old age. I performed a baseline study of 1,250 elderly people living in the region and a follow-up study 3 years later. Referencing the frailty standards of Freid (2000), We evaluated frailty in the three stages of no issues, semi- frailty and frailty. An analysis of the results indicated that the gerotranscendence “Let it go” subscale score increases over 3 years in the group in which frailty did not occur and does not change in the group in which frailty occurred. Also, although the occurrence of frailty lowers mental health, the main effect for the height of gerotranscendence at the time of the baseline was significant, and in terms of gerotranscendence, mental health was higher than the lower group even in cases of frailty.

Free Research Field

高齢者心理学