title: Motivation in later life: personal projects and well-being.
abstract: "Personal projects," as defined by B. R. Little (1983), were elicited from 600 community residents aged 70+, representing a broad range of health and illness. Factor analysis revealed 6 types of personal projects: activities of daily living, active recreation, other-oriented activities, intellectual activities, home planning, and spiritual moral activities. Background factors and health were shown to affect the number and type of projects reported. Most indices of personal projects were associated with positive affect and valuation of life. Only 1 was associated with depression. This confirms the differential association of personal projects to positive but not negative affect. Personal projects are seen as part of an open motivational system in which social position, cognitive ability, health, and positive mental health are mutually interacting members.
authors.affiliation: Polisher Research Institute, Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Center for Jewish Life, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania 19046, USA.
authors.forename: M Powell
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Lawton
authors.forename: Miriam S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: Laraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009042:Motivation