title: Personality, life events and coping in the oldest-old.
abstract: This paper compares older adults in their sixties, eighties, and 100s on personality, experience of life events, and coping. A secondary goal was to test a structural model of adaptation. Participants (165) filled out a personality inventory, life-event lists, and coping and mental health measures. Results revealed differences in personality: centenarians scored higher on dominance, suspiciousness, and imagination. While centenarians scored lower on active behavioral coping than other age groups, they used cognitive strategies when coping with health and family events. Results from the structural equation model indicated that extraversion and anxiety predicted morale and mental health.
authors.affiliation: University of Georgia, Athens.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Clayton
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Fulks
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005120:Extraversion, Psychological; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009013:Morale; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011340:Problem Solving; D012930:Social Dominance