1. Tim Windsor & Mydair Hunter
What makes people resilient to negative life events? Results from a survey of older South Australians
Tim Windsor & Mydair Hunter

2. Overview Approaches to studying resilience
Resources for resilience among older South Australians
Resilience and elder abuse
Sources of strength and vulnerability

3. What is resilience? RESILENCE AS A RESOURCE
“The personal qualities that enables one to thrive in the face of adversity” (Connor & Davidson, 2003)

4. What is resilience? RESILIENCE AS AN OUTCOME
“An individual’s stability or quick recovery (or even growth) under significant adverse conditions” (Leipold & Greve, 2009)

5. What is resilience? RESILIENCE AS A PROCESS
“A dynamic process encompassing positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity” (Luthar et al., 2000)
Links perspectives by considering how resources (or the lack thereof) contribute to resilient outcomes

6. Challenge (e.g., decline in health)
Outcome
Improved/maintained well-being
Vs.
Decreased well-being
Resources

7. Resources for resilience among older South Australians
Survey of older adults in South Australia recruited through seniors networks, online newsletters, local councils
Completed online, or paper-and-pencil
263 respondents aged 50 to 100
Mean age 73 (SD = 12)
75% women
52% partnered

8. PSYCHOLOGICAL & SELF-REGULATORY
Health decline
Widowhood
Stopped driving
Negative life events (past 12 months)
Functional health (PF-10)
Psychological distress (K6)
Improved/maintained well-being
Vs.
Decreased well-being
Resources
SOCIAL
SOCIO-ECONOMIC
PSYCHOLOGICAL & SELF-REGULATORY

9. SOCIAL RESOURCES AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Results
SOCIAL RESOURCES AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Resource
Main effect
Social engagement
Yes (-ve)
Social contact frequency
Social support
Partner status
Religiosity

10. Results SOCIAL RESOURCES AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Main effect
Buffer – Life Events
Buffer – functional health
Social engagement
Yes (-ve)
No statistically reliable interactions
Social contact frequency
Social support
Partner status
Religiosity

11. SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Results
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Resource
Main effect
Financial hardship
Social advantage (IRSAD)
Yes (-ve)
Neighbourhood disorder
Social cohesion
Yes (+ve)

12. SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Results
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Resource
Main effect
Buffer – Life Events
Financial hardship
Social advantage (IRSAD)
Yes (-ve)
Yes
Neighbourhood disorder
Social cohesion
Yes (+ve)

13. Results
BUFFERING EFFECTS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESOURCES – relative social advantage/disadvantage

14. SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Results
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Resource
Main effect
Buffer – LE
Buffer – functional health
Financial hardship
Social advantage (IRSAD)
Yes (-ve)
Yes
Neighbourhood disorder
Social cohesion
Yes (+ve)

15. Results
BUFFERING EFFECTS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESOURCES – Perceived neighbourhood social cohesion

16. PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SELF-REGULATORY RESOURCES
Psychological resources
Beliefs that are beneficial for mental health
Optimism, sense of control
Self-regulatory resources
Beliefs and behaviours that facilitate effective management of goal-directed activity
Sense of purpose
Coping flexibility
Assimilative coping: Ability to purposefully and persistently engage with goals
Accommodative coping: Ability to disengage from (and de-value) blocked goals and change self-evaluative standards

17. Results
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SELF-REGULATORY RESOURCES AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Resource
Main effect
Sense of purpose
Yes (-ve)
Optimism
Control beliefs
Coping flexibility

18. Results
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SELF-REGULATORY RESOURCES AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Resource
Main effect
Buffer – life events
Sense of purpose
Yes (-ve)
Yes
Optimism
Control beliefs
Coping flexibility

19. Results
BUFFERING EFFECT S OF PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES – coping flexibility

20. Results
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SELF-REGULATORY RESOURCES AS PREDICTORS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Resource
Main effect
Buffer – LE
Buffer – functional health
Sense of purpose
Yes (-ve)
Yes
Optimism
Control beliefs
Coping flexibility

21. Results
BUFFERING EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL RESOURCES – OPTIMISM

22. Summary
Good functional health and psychological resources (optimism, sense of purpose, control beliefs, and the ability to flexibly manage goals) promote effective coping and resilient outcomes
those living in lower SES areas may be more vulnerable to the effects of negative life events on psychological health.
Many of the factors associated with resilience were intercorrelated, highlighting interconnectivity among the factors implicated in successful coping.

23. Psychological resources for resilience and elder abuse
Do psychological resources that protect against more general stress also protect against elder abuse?

24. Psychological resources for resilience and elder abuse
Do psychological resources that protect against more general stress also protect against elder abuse?
Limited empirical evidence
Theoretical perspectives?

25. Psychological resources for resilience and elder abuse
Do psychological resources that protect against more general stress also protect against elder abuse?
Limited empirical evidence
Theoretical perspectives?
Lifespan approach
Effective regulation of behaviour over decades could help older adults to avoid exposure to abuse (e.g., proactive planning, effective management of finances, support networks in place reducing risk of isolation)

26. Psychological resources for resilience and elder abuse
Do psychological resources that protect against more general stress also protect against elder abuse?
Limited empirical evidence
Theoretical perspectives?
Lifespan approach
Effective regulation of behaviour over decades could help older adults to avoid exposure to abuse (e.g., proactive planning, effective management of finances, support networks in place reducing risk of isolation)
However: Once in an abusive situation, could resources usually associated with ageing well paradoxically make victims of abuse less likely to seek help?

27. WELL-BEING PARADOX: Despite ageing related losses, older adults are happier relative to middle-aged and younger adults (at least prior to late-life)
Windsor, Burns, & Byles (2012)

28. Accounting for age-related advantages
Ageing related changes in social motivation
Older adults as effective self-regulators

29. Ageing related changes in social motivation
Socio-emotional selectivity theory (e.g., Carstensen, 2006)
With advancing age people become aware of limited time remaining
less emphasis on the future and more emphasis on emotional experience in the present
Centrality of close personal relationships

30. Ageing related changes in social motivation
Socio-emotional selectivity theory (e.g., Carstensen, 2006)
With advancing age people become aware of limited time remaining
less emphasis on the future and more emphasis on emotional experience in the present
Centrality of close personal relationships
Awareness of limited time remaining and desire to avoid conflict = reluctance to seek help for abuse?

31. Mysyuk et al. (2016). How older persons explain why they became victims of abuse
“When a close friend or family member was involved in the abusive situation the period of abuse before asking for help … was reported to be longer” (p. 5)

32. Older adults as effective self-regulators
Increasing reliance on accommodative coping
Re-adjusting goals in response to losses

33. Older adults as effective self-regulators
Increasing reliance on accommodative coping
Re-adjusting goals in response to losses
Could an increasing acceptance of loss lead to increased stoicism/acceptance of abuse?

34. Mysyuk et al. (2016). How older persons explain why they became victims of abuse
“Other interviewees used a different strategy… they tried to continue their lives and overcome the negative effects by keeping themselves busy…these interviewees thought that they could deal with the abuse and its effects on their own” (p. 5).

35. Implications for prevention
Pillemer et al. (2016)
Promising interventions
Caregiver interventions
(e.g., respite care, education, support)
Money management programs
Helplines
Emergency shelter
Multidisciplinary teams
(effective coordination of available services)

36. Implications for prevention
Pillemer et al. (2016)
Promising interventions
Caregiver interventions
(e.g., respite care, education, support)
Money management programs
Helplines
Emergency shelter
Multidisciplinary teams
(effective coordination of available services)
Providing resources for individuals

37. Individuals as active agents in shaping service effectiveness
Implications for prevention
Pillemer et al. (2016)
Promising interventions
Caregiver interventions
(e.g., respite care, education, support)
Money management programs
Helplines
Emergency shelter
Multidisciplinary teams
(effective coordination of available services)
Individuals as active agents in shaping service effectiveness

38. Implications for prevention
Pillemer et al. (2016)
Promising interventions
Caregiver interventions
(e.g., respite care, education, support)
Money management programs
Helplines
Emergency shelter
Multidisciplinary teams
(effective coordination of available services)
Enhancing models of prevention by
Recognising how aspects of motivation and behaviour that change with ageing could reduce or increase vulnerability
Tailoring interventions accordingly

39. Acknowledgements
South Australian Government Office for the Ageing (OFTA)
Resilience report available for download from SA Health website