Psychological report^, 1979, 44, 807-810. @ Psychological Reports 1979
LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED A N D NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER ADULTS JANE R. DICKIE, THOMAS E. LUDWIG AND DAVID BLAUW Hope College' Summary.-This study explored the relationship between life satisfaction, several measures of health, several measures of activity level, and a measure of future orientation. Subjects were 30 institutionalized and 32 non-institutionalized older adults. In this sample age had no effect on reported life satisfaction, nor was there a difference between the institutionalized and non-institutionalized groups. However, males reported higher life satisfaction than females. Self-reported health status was related to life satisfaction, as was the number of days spent in bed during the past year. Finally, those who had made plans for things to do during the next several years reported higher life satisfaction than those who had no plans for the future. Ic was concluded that in this sample institutionalization did not influence life satisfaction directly but rather through health variables which are associated with institutionalization.
A number of studies have investigated the correlates of personal adjustment or life satisfaction in old age. Positive relationships have consistently been found between life satisfaction and socioeconomic status, perceived adequacy of income, and perceived health status (e.g., Kutner, et al., 1956; Cutler, 1973; Edwards & Klemmack, 1973). Contrary to the predictions of disengagement theory, life satisfaction has also been associated with high levels of activity and social interaction (Tobin & Neugarten, 1961; Maddox, 1965; Lipman & Smith, 1968). On the basis of these findings, it seems likely that institutionalized older adults, if they are generally in poorer health and participate less in social activities, should report lower Life satisfaction than comparable non-institutionalized older adults. The present study attempted to test this hypothesis by first measuring the health status and activity levels of a group of institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults, and then measuring their life satisfaction.
METHOD Subjects Subjects were 62 older adults from the South Chicago area. The subjects ranged in age from 65 to 93 yr. with a mean age of 76.1 yr. Thirty-two of the subjects (M,, = 72.8) lived in their own homes, while the other 30 ( M a , = 80.1) were from a private home for the elderly. Twenty-four of the subjects were male and 38 were female. All were ambulatory and free from serious chronic illnesses. None of the subjects was paid for participating in the study. 'Holland. Michigan 49423. W e are grateful to Dr. Robert Havighurst for permission to reprint the items from the Life Satisfaction Index.
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J. R. DICKIE, ET AL.
Procedure
Each subject filled out a 32-item questionnaire. The first three items requested the subject's age, sex, and housing status. The next four items concerned the subject's health status. Subjects were asked to rate their own health at the present time ( 1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 ='excellent), indicate whether their health had changed since age 55 yr. ( 1 = worse now, 2 = about the same, 3 = better now), identify any serious physical ailments (e.g., poor vision or audition, paralysis, heart disease, hypertension, etc.), and indicate how many days they had spent in bed during the past year ( 1 = all the time, 2 = a month or more, 3 = two to four weeks, 4 = a few days, 5 = none). The next five items attempted to measure the subject's activity level. Subjects were asked how much free time they had ( 1 = all day, 2 = half the day, 3 = a few hours, 4 = almost none), how they used that time (e.g., housework, yardwork, watching television, writing letters, etc.) , how many organizations they belonged to ( 1 = none, 2 = one, 3 = two, 4 = three, 5 = four or more), how frequently they attended group meetings ( 1 = never, 2 = less than once a month, 3 = once or twice a month, 4 = once a week, 5 = two or more times a week), and whether they had things they planned to do during the next year or two ( 1 = yes, 2 = no). Finally, the last 20 items were taken from the Life Satisfaction Index A (Neugarten, Havighurst, & Tobin, 1961). Previous studies have reported moderately high reliability (.79) for this instrument, and a correlation of .57 between this instrument and interviewers' ratings of life satisfaction (Larson, 1978).
RESULTS Health Status and Activity Level First, t tests were performed to determine whether the institutionalized group actually reported poorer health and lower activity than the non-institutionalized group. Surprisingly, the two groups did not differ on any of the health measures. However, the institutionalized group did report lower activity levels on three measures of activity ( p < .01) : the institutionalized group ( M = 1.05, SD = 1.10) belonged to fewer organizations than did the noninstitutionalized group ( M = 2.06, SD = 1.16), and attended fewer meetings than did the non-institutionalized group ( M = 2.52, SD = 1.36 versus M = 3.78, SD = 1.23). The institutionalized group also was less likely to report having planned activities for the future ( M = 1.28, SD = 0.48 versus M = 1.67, SD = 0.47). Life Satisfaction Age group, sex, and housing group.-The life satisfaction items were summed for each subject to provide a life satisfaction score, ranging from 5 to 18, with M = 12.01, SD = 3.37. Age was grouped into two categories: 65 to
LIFE SATISFACTION, INSTITUTIONALIZATION
809
74 yr. ( n = 2 0 ) , and 75 to 9 3 yr. ( n = 42). A 2 X 2 )( 2 nonorthogonal analysis of variance was performed on the life satisfaction scores, with age group, sex, and housing group (institutionalized, non-institutionalized) as - betweensubject factors. A significant main effect was found for sex (FIns4= 7.32, p < .01, w' = .08). Males ( M = 13.71, SD = 3.18) reported higher life satisfaction than females ( M = 11.21, SD = 3.26). The main effects of age group and housing group were not significant, nor were any of the interactions. Next, a series of one-way analyses of variance were performed on the life satisfaction scores, using each of the health and activity items. Rated health.-Self-reported health status had a significant effect on life satisfaction (F3,58= 9.38, p < .001, w:! = .28). Individual comparisons using Newman-Keuls tests ( p < .05) showed that subjects who rated their health as "fair" reported significantly lower life satisfaction ( M = 9.22, SD = 3.13) than those who rated their health as "good" ( F = 13.08, SD = 2.62) or "excellent" ( M = 13.57, SD = 2.85). Only two of the subjects rated their health as "poor." Days in bed.-The number of days spent in bed during the past year also .O5, w2 = .11). had a significant effect on life satisfaction (F3,58 = 3.56, p None of the subjects was confined to bed, but those who had spent a month or more in bed during the past year reported significantly lower life satisfaction ( M = 7.50, SD = 2.52) than those who had spent two to four weeks ( M = 13.83, SD = 3.15), a few days ( M = 11.83, SD = 3.27), or none at all ( M = 12.78, SD = 3.24). ~ fatwe.--The presence or absence of future plans had a Planning f o the significant effect (F1,GO= 6.23, p < .05, w2 = .08). Those who had made no plans for things to do during the next one or two years reported lower life satisfaction ( M = 11.03, SD = 3.01) than those who had made plans for the future (M = 13.15, SD = 3.50). None of the remaining items had a significant effect on life satisfaction.
LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG INSTITUTIONALIZED A N D NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER ADULTS JANE R. DICKIE, THOMAS E. LUDWIG AND DAVID BLAUW Hope College' Summary.-This study explored the relationship between life satisfaction, several measures of health, several measures of activity level, and a measure of future orientation. Subjects were 30 institutionalized and 32 non-institutionalized older adults. In this sample age had no effect on reported life satisfaction, nor was there a difference between the institutionalized and non-institutionalized groups. However, males reported higher life satisfaction than females. Self-reported health status was related to life satisfaction, as was the number of days spent in bed during the past year. Finally, those who had made plans for things to do during the next several years reported higher life satisfaction than those who had no plans for the future. Ic was concluded that in this sample institutionalization did not influence life satisfaction directly but rather through health variables which are associated with institutionalization.
A number of studies have investigated the correlates of personal adjustment or life satisfaction in old age. Positive relationships have consistently been found between life satisfaction and socioeconomic status, perceived adequacy of income, and perceived health status (e.g., Kutner, et al., 1956; Cutler, 1973; Edwards & Klemmack, 1973). Contrary to the predictions of disengagement theory, life satisfaction has also been associated with high levels of activity and social interaction (Tobin & Neugarten, 1961; Maddox, 1965; Lipman & Smith, 1968). On the basis of these findings, it seems likely that institutionalized older adults, if they are generally in poorer health and participate less in social activities, should report lower Life satisfaction than comparable non-institutionalized older adults. The present study attempted to test this hypothesis by first measuring the health status and activity levels of a group of institutionalized and non-institutionalized older adults, and then measuring their life satisfaction.
METHOD Subjects Subjects were 62 older adults from the South Chicago area. The subjects ranged in age from 65 to 93 yr. with a mean age of 76.1 yr. Thirty-two of the subjects (M,, = 72.8) lived in their own homes, while the other 30 ( M a , = 80.1) were from a private home for the elderly. Twenty-four of the subjects were male and 38 were female. All were ambulatory and free from serious chronic illnesses. None of the subjects was paid for participating in the study. 'Holland. Michigan 49423. W e are grateful to Dr. Robert Havighurst for permission to reprint the items from the Life Satisfaction Index.
808
J. R. DICKIE, ET AL.
Procedure
Each subject filled out a 32-item questionnaire. The first three items requested the subject's age, sex, and housing status. The next four items concerned the subject's health status. Subjects were asked to rate their own health at the present time ( 1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 ='excellent), indicate whether their health had changed since age 55 yr. ( 1 = worse now, 2 = about the same, 3 = better now), identify any serious physical ailments (e.g., poor vision or audition, paralysis, heart disease, hypertension, etc.), and indicate how many days they had spent in bed during the past year ( 1 = all the time, 2 = a month or more, 3 = two to four weeks, 4 = a few days, 5 = none). The next five items attempted to measure the subject's activity level. Subjects were asked how much free time they had ( 1 = all day, 2 = half the day, 3 = a few hours, 4 = almost none), how they used that time (e.g., housework, yardwork, watching television, writing letters, etc.) , how many organizations they belonged to ( 1 = none, 2 = one, 3 = two, 4 = three, 5 = four or more), how frequently they attended group meetings ( 1 = never, 2 = less than once a month, 3 = once or twice a month, 4 = once a week, 5 = two or more times a week), and whether they had things they planned to do during the next year or two ( 1 = yes, 2 = no). Finally, the last 20 items were taken from the Life Satisfaction Index A (Neugarten, Havighurst, & Tobin, 1961). Previous studies have reported moderately high reliability (.79) for this instrument, and a correlation of .57 between this instrument and interviewers' ratings of life satisfaction (Larson, 1978).
RESULTS Health Status and Activity Level First, t tests were performed to determine whether the institutionalized group actually reported poorer health and lower activity than the non-institutionalized group. Surprisingly, the two groups did not differ on any of the health measures. However, the institutionalized group did report lower activity levels on three measures of activity ( p < .01) : the institutionalized group ( M = 1.05, SD = 1.10) belonged to fewer organizations than did the noninstitutionalized group ( M = 2.06, SD = 1.16), and attended fewer meetings than did the non-institutionalized group ( M = 2.52, SD = 1.36 versus M = 3.78, SD = 1.23). The institutionalized group also was less likely to report having planned activities for the future ( M = 1.28, SD = 0.48 versus M = 1.67, SD = 0.47). Life Satisfaction Age group, sex, and housing group.-The life satisfaction items were summed for each subject to provide a life satisfaction score, ranging from 5 to 18, with M = 12.01, SD = 3.37. Age was grouped into two categories: 65 to
LIFE SATISFACTION, INSTITUTIONALIZATION
809
74 yr. ( n = 2 0 ) , and 75 to 9 3 yr. ( n = 42). A 2 X 2 )( 2 nonorthogonal analysis of variance was performed on the life satisfaction scores, with age group, sex, and housing group (institutionalized, non-institutionalized) as - betweensubject factors. A significant main effect was found for sex (FIns4= 7.32, p < .01, w' = .08). Males ( M = 13.71, SD = 3.18) reported higher life satisfaction than females ( M = 11.21, SD = 3.26). The main effects of age group and housing group were not significant, nor were any of the interactions. Next, a series of one-way analyses of variance were performed on the life satisfaction scores, using each of the health and activity items. Rated health.-Self-reported health status had a significant effect on life satisfaction (F3,58= 9.38, p < .001, w:! = .28). Individual comparisons using Newman-Keuls tests ( p < .05) showed that subjects who rated their health as "fair" reported significantly lower life satisfaction ( M = 9.22, SD = 3.13) than those who rated their health as "good" ( F = 13.08, SD = 2.62) or "excellent" ( M = 13.57, SD = 2.85). Only two of the subjects rated their health as "poor." Days in bed.-The number of days spent in bed during the past year also .O5, w2 = .11). had a significant effect on life satisfaction (F3,58 = 3.56, p None of the subjects was confined to bed, but those who had spent a month or more in bed during the past year reported significantly lower life satisfaction ( M = 7.50, SD = 2.52) than those who had spent two to four weeks ( M = 13.83, SD = 3.15), a few days ( M = 11.83, SD = 3.27), or none at all ( M = 12.78, SD = 3.24). ~ fatwe.--The presence or absence of future plans had a Planning f o the significant effect (F1,GO= 6.23, p < .05, w2 = .08). Those who had made no plans for things to do during the next one or two years reported lower life satisfaction ( M = 11.03, SD = 3.01) than those who had made plans for the future (M = 13.15, SD = 3.50). None of the remaining items had a significant effect on life satisfaction.
