Educational attainment, positive psychological mediators, and resources for health and vitality in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To further explain the relationship of education to health by a prospective examination of positive psychological states as mediators. Furthermore, to examine the resources of desirable events, self-esteem, and social support as possible mediators between positive psychological states and subsequent health and vitality.


METHODS
Four in-home interviews were conducted at 6-month intervals with a probability sample of 1,277 older adults (aged 55 and older); multiple regression was used to estimate mediating effects.


RESULTS
Positive states mediated the education relationship to both symptoms and vitality, independent of negative states; the resource measures did not mediate the positive state-health relationship.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher education level appears to increase the likelihood of being serene and happy, and healthy and vital, in later years; positive psychological states appeared to have both a promotion function (for vitality) and protective function (against health symptoms); self-esteem showed promise as a possible mediator of the effects of psychological states on health.
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA. samurr01@gwise.louisville.edu
Stanley A
SA
Murrell
Nicholas L
NL
Salsman
Suzanne
S
Meeks
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D006240:Happiness; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged / Q000523:psychology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors