A Model for Predicting the Psychological Well-Being of Older Adults in South Korea

This study examined factors related to the psychological well-being of older adults and built and verified a model for predicting psychological well-being. The participants were 350 older adults aged over 60 years who lived in South Korea and were active in the local community. The model proposed in this study was found to be suitable. Depression, self-efficacy, and social support had a direct effect on the psychological well-being of older adults, while depression, activities of daily living (ADLs), and self-efficacy had an indirect effect. Self-efficacy and social support mediated the relationship between depression and psychological well-being, and self-efficacy mediated the relationship between ADLs and psychological well-being. It is necessary to develop and implement a program that can help alleviate depression and improve self-efficacy and social support among older adults in order to enhance their psychological well-being. Additionally, to establish a model that predicts the psychological well-being of older adults, a study is needed to verify the model not only in Korea but also in other countries.