Analysis of the Association of Psychological Symptoms with Successful Aging Strategies and Spirituality in Elderly People

Abstract

Taking into account the increase in longevity and the positive and negative aspects brought by the aging process, the elderly often go through many losses. In this process, elderly people may be affected by physical and psychological problems, leading them to create or not strategies for aging well. The aim of this research is to analyze the association between psychological symptoms with spirituality and strategies for successful aging in the elderly. This study consists of a quantitative, correlational and cross-sectional research. The sample consisted of 49 people over 60 years of age, who actively participated in computing groups in the city of Novo Hamburgo, Brazil. The instruments used were the Selection, Optimization and Compensation Scale (SOC), the Symptom Assessment Scale (SAS-40) and the Spirituality Scale. Descriptive statistical analyzes, correlation by Spearman's test and linear regression by stages were performed. The results showed significant relationships between the psychological symptoms of anxiety, obsessiveness/ compulsiveness, psychoticism and somatization. Spirituality, especially hope and optimism, and strategies to promote successful aging, especially optimization, are relevant aspects for the reduction and control of these psychological symptoms. Hope, optimism and optimization are strategies that allow subjects to control the symptoms of psychoticism and obsessiveness. Hope and optimism aid in the control of anxiety and optimization helps in the somatization symptom. Based on these results, our conclusion is that it is necessary to improve public policies to allow the elderly to have opportunities to optimize their potential and develop hope and optimize the promotion of mental health.