Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear a... more Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear and influence behavior and psychosocial well-being directly or indirectly. Attitudes toward death and dying in old age were explored in the context of legal alterations in Luxembourg allowing for medically assisted suicide in case of fatal illness.
GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry, 2010
We examined distributions of remembered negative and positive life events across the life span in... more We examined distributions of remembered negative and positive life events across the life span in a sample of adults in middle and old age. Distributions of positive, but not negative life events showed a significant reminiscence bump, replicating earlier findings. Gender differences occurred with respect to distribution of memories of positive life events of the first four decades of life. Furthermore, we found substantial associations of number and valence of remembered life events with future time perspective and functions of autobiographical memory to create meaning, remaining significant after controlling for age and health. Therefore, number and valence of negative and positive life events across the life span reflect, to a certain extent, age and time perspective of the remembering individual.
Life events, such as retirement or being widowed, can change the social circle of older people co... more Life events, such as retirement or being widowed, can change the social circle of older people considerably. It may be difficult to find new social contacts when one has never got used to, or perhaps even never learnt, to seek and maintain those contacts. Loneliness has many negative effects for well-being, including depression and even cardiovascular disease. The Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL-JP) research project V2me seeks to find a solution for alleviating loneliness by means of easy-to-use technology including touch screen devices. The idea is to use a virtual coach for encouraging users to take an active role in contacting people and teaching them how to initiate and maintain meaningful and enduring relations. The first step, in the process of creating the complete virtual coach-assisted system for preventing loneliness, is to create a prototype and use the feedback from older users for developing the system. In this paper we discuss the results of the first pilot and what steps need to be taken next.
The AAL JP project V2me (“Virtual Coach reaches out to me”) aims at increasing the quality of the... more The AAL JP project V2me (“Virtual Coach reaches out to me”) aims at increasing the quality of the social network in old age, thereby providing an opportunity to increase well-being and alleviate loneliness. In this contribution, results of two empirical studies are presented that aim at (1) gaining knowledge about user requirements and (2) first results on the usability and user acceptance of the prototype version of the V2me system.
Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen hab... more Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen haben. Dabei möchte ich mich zuerst bei Frau Prof. Dr. Sigrun-Heide Filipp bedanken, die mich dazu ermutigt hat, das Dissertationsprojekt in Angriff zu nehmen. Sie hat mich bei der Konzeption der Studie, der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Anregungen unterstützt und so eine optimale Betreuung meiner Arbeit gewährleistet. Bei Herrn Prof. Dr. Dieter Ferring möchte ich mich herzlich für die Begutachtung meiner Arbeit bedanken. Ein lieber Dank geht auch an meine Kolleginnen und Kollegen, die mich während der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Gespräche tatkräftig unterstützt haben. Dies sind vor allem die derzeitigen und ehemaligen Mitglieder der Abteilung für Angewandte Allen voran aber möchte ich meinen Dank meiner lieben Freundin und Kollegin Dipl.-Psych. Catherine Kaiser aussprechen. Mit ihr habe ich -seit Beginn der Studienzeit und während der rund zwei Jahre unserer Dissertationsprojekte -sowohl fruchtbare fachliche Diskussionen geführt wie auch viele schöne Stunden freier Zeit in Trier verbracht.
ABSTRACT The present study investigated self-regulatory strategies concerning a self-reported lif... more ABSTRACT The present study investigated self-regulatory strategies concerning a self-reported life problem and their associations with well-being in a sample in old age. A first aim was to investigate the underlying structure of self-regulatory strategies of different theoretical perspectives. Active and self-regulatory strategies could be differentiated. A second aim was to examine the associations of active and passive self-regulatory strategies with well-being. Passive strategies in particular were highly associated with autonomy, environmental mastery, and life satisfaction.
Background. Individual and country-level differences in depression of childless older men and wom... more Background. Individual and country-level differences in depression of childless older men and women in Europe were examined. Method. Depressive symptoms (EURO-D index) were assessed of 24,511 respondents to the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (age 50+) in 13 European countries participating in waves 1 (2004) or 2 (2006/7) and wave 3 (2008/9), of which 2,935 respondents (51.3 % female) reported never having had children. Logistic regressions were applied.
Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen hab... more Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen haben. Dabei möchte ich mich zuerst bei Frau Prof. Dr. Sigrun-Heide Filipp bedanken, die mich dazu ermutigt hat, das Dissertationsprojekt in Angriff zu nehmen. Sie hat mich bei der Konzeption der Studie, der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Anregungen unterstützt und so eine optimale Betreuung meiner Arbeit gewährleistet. Bei Herrn Prof. Dr. Dieter Ferring möchte ich mich herzlich für die Begutachtung meiner Arbeit bedanken. Ein lieber Dank geht auch an meine Kolleginnen und Kollegen, die mich während der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Gespräche tatkräftig unterstützt haben. Dies sind vor allem die derzeitigen und ehemaligen Mitglieder der Abteilung für Angewandte Allen voran aber möchte ich meinen Dank meiner lieben Freundin und Kollegin Dipl.-Psych. Catherine Kaiser aussprechen. Mit ihr habe ich -seit Beginn der Studienzeit und während der rund zwei Jahre unserer Dissertationsprojekte -sowohl fruchtbare fachliche Diskussionen geführt wie auch viele schöne Stunden freier Zeit in Trier verbracht.
Background. Maintaining social relationships has been defined as a core element of aging well. Wi... more Background. Maintaining social relationships has been defined as a core element of aging well. With a considerable amount of older adults living alone, social media provides the possibility to engage in meaningful social contact, e. g., by joining online social networks and online discussion forums. Objective. The review encompasses current knowledge of prerequisites in social media use of older adults such as functional capacity, ICT-related knowledge, and favorable attitudes towards social media. Then, potential of social media use for clinical practice and possible negative consequences are outlined. Method. Literature on social media use from a gerontological perspective was reviewed in July and August 2012. Results. Online communities are suitable to provide and receive social support when confronted with a difficult life situation, regardless of geographical location or time. From a practitioners' perspective, social media can be used to advance health-related knowledge such as information on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of specific conditions and disorders. Further positive consequences have been shown to be overcoming loneliness, relieving stress, and raising feelings of control and self-efficacy. Possible negative consequences could be misuse of personal data as well as the distribution and uncritical adoption of potentially harmful information via online communities. Discussion. The potential of social media in clinical practice is reflected in a wide range of intervention possibilities for older adults. However, with the rise of social media new threats emerge for older adults as well.
Background. Non-employment periods during working life may hinder the development of cognitive re... more Background. Non-employment periods during working life may hinder the development of cognitive reserve but may also provide time for engaging in cognitively stimulating non-workrelated activities. This study examines whether different types of non-employment periods during working life predict cognitive function in old age. Methods. Cognitive function of 18,419 participants from 13 countries in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (age 50-73) was assessed in 2004 and 2006. Type and duration of nonemployment spells were derived from complete work histories reported in 2008.
According to life investment theory, the importance of life domains and goals shifts across the l... more According to life investment theory, the importance of life domains and goals shifts across the life span (Staudinger, 1996). Developmental theories explain the adjustment of goals to current life circumstances as an adaptive mechanism to ensure psychological well-being (e.g., Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995; Brandtstädter & Renner, 1990). The present study picks up these notions by, firstly, investigating content and meaning of life investment domains by a qualitative approach and, secondly, by exploring associations of life investment domains and indicators of psycho-physical well-being by quantitative methodology. A total of 62 participants aged 65 to 89 years answered to the question "Who or what is currently very important to you?" Categories were developed using qualitative content analysis, answers were then categorized by independent raters.
Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear a... more Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear and influence behavior and psychosocial well-being directly or indirectly. Attitudes toward death and dying in old age were explored in the context of legal alterations in Luxembourg allowing for medically assisted suicide in case of fatal illness.
Working-life employment gaps should be associated differently with later-life cognitive function ... more Working-life employment gaps should be associated differently with later-life cognitive function depending on their potential to decrease or increase cognitive reserve, e.g., by cognitively stimulating activities carried out during the gap. Employment gaps due to unemployment or sickness should worsen cognitive function, whereas gaps due to training should promote cognitive function. However, the role of education in these associations remains unclear. It is hypothesized that individuals with higher cognitive reserve, i.e., higher education, suffer less from unemployment or sickness spells, but also benefit less from training spells compared to lower-educated individuals. Method. Cognitive function (verbal fluency, immediate recall, delayed recall, orientation, numeracy) of 18,419 respondents aged 50-73 to the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe of 13 countries was assessed in 2004/5 and 2006/7. Employment gaps were derived from complete work histories assessed in 2008/9. Respondents' information on International Standard Classification of Education was recoded into low (< upper secondary), upper secondary, and post-secondary education.
International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2015
The search of social determinants of health and disease has advanced substantially over the last ... more The search of social determinants of health and disease has advanced substantially over the last decade. We present recent theoretical advancements, methodological approaches, and a selection of empirical evidence for the three main research strands: First, social inequalities can explain health differences. Here, we first focus on hierarchic social stratification with regard to socioeconomic and social class differences influencing health, then we extend the view towards non-hierarchic social stratification with regard to ethno-cultural differences, lifestyle, and cognitive and non-cognitive abilities. We shortly mention social relations and social network as determinants of health. Last, we use the concept of social times to distinguish age, period, and cohort effects in population health. After presenting evidence on contextual social determinants of health, we close with methodological challenges, social policy implications, and translation to practice.
Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear a... more Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear and influence behavior and psychosocial well-being directly or indirectly. Attitudes toward death and dying in old age were explored in the context of legal alterations in Luxembourg allowing for medically assisted suicide in case of fatal illness.
GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry, 2010
We examined distributions of remembered negative and positive life events across the life span in... more We examined distributions of remembered negative and positive life events across the life span in a sample of adults in middle and old age. Distributions of positive, but not negative life events showed a significant reminiscence bump, replicating earlier findings. Gender differences occurred with respect to distribution of memories of positive life events of the first four decades of life. Furthermore, we found substantial associations of number and valence of remembered life events with future time perspective and functions of autobiographical memory to create meaning, remaining significant after controlling for age and health. Therefore, number and valence of negative and positive life events across the life span reflect, to a certain extent, age and time perspective of the remembering individual.
Life events, such as retirement or being widowed, can change the social circle of older people co... more Life events, such as retirement or being widowed, can change the social circle of older people considerably. It may be difficult to find new social contacts when one has never got used to, or perhaps even never learnt, to seek and maintain those contacts. Loneliness has many negative effects for well-being, including depression and even cardiovascular disease. The Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL-JP) research project V2me seeks to find a solution for alleviating loneliness by means of easy-to-use technology including touch screen devices. The idea is to use a virtual coach for encouraging users to take an active role in contacting people and teaching them how to initiate and maintain meaningful and enduring relations. The first step, in the process of creating the complete virtual coach-assisted system for preventing loneliness, is to create a prototype and use the feedback from older users for developing the system. In this paper we discuss the results of the first pilot and what steps need to be taken next.
The AAL JP project V2me (“Virtual Coach reaches out to me”) aims at increasing the quality of the... more The AAL JP project V2me (“Virtual Coach reaches out to me”) aims at increasing the quality of the social network in old age, thereby providing an opportunity to increase well-being and alleviate loneliness. In this contribution, results of two empirical studies are presented that aim at (1) gaining knowledge about user requirements and (2) first results on the usability and user acceptance of the prototype version of the V2me system.
Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen hab... more Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen haben. Dabei möchte ich mich zuerst bei Frau Prof. Dr. Sigrun-Heide Filipp bedanken, die mich dazu ermutigt hat, das Dissertationsprojekt in Angriff zu nehmen. Sie hat mich bei der Konzeption der Studie, der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Anregungen unterstützt und so eine optimale Betreuung meiner Arbeit gewährleistet. Bei Herrn Prof. Dr. Dieter Ferring möchte ich mich herzlich für die Begutachtung meiner Arbeit bedanken. Ein lieber Dank geht auch an meine Kolleginnen und Kollegen, die mich während der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Gespräche tatkräftig unterstützt haben. Dies sind vor allem die derzeitigen und ehemaligen Mitglieder der Abteilung für Angewandte Allen voran aber möchte ich meinen Dank meiner lieben Freundin und Kollegin Dipl.-Psych. Catherine Kaiser aussprechen. Mit ihr habe ich -seit Beginn der Studienzeit und während der rund zwei Jahre unserer Dissertationsprojekte -sowohl fruchtbare fachliche Diskussionen geführt wie auch viele schöne Stunden freier Zeit in Trier verbracht.
ABSTRACT The present study investigated self-regulatory strategies concerning a self-reported lif... more ABSTRACT The present study investigated self-regulatory strategies concerning a self-reported life problem and their associations with well-being in a sample in old age. A first aim was to investigate the underlying structure of self-regulatory strategies of different theoretical perspectives. Active and self-regulatory strategies could be differentiated. A second aim was to examine the associations of active and passive self-regulatory strategies with well-being. Passive strategies in particular were highly associated with autonomy, environmental mastery, and life satisfaction.
Background. Individual and country-level differences in depression of childless older men and wom... more Background. Individual and country-level differences in depression of childless older men and women in Europe were examined. Method. Depressive symptoms (EURO-D index) were assessed of 24,511 respondents to the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (age 50+) in 13 European countries participating in waves 1 (2004) or 2 (2006/7) and wave 3 (2008/9), of which 2,935 respondents (51.3 % female) reported never having had children. Logistic regressions were applied.
Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen hab... more Mein herzlicher Dank gebührt allen Personen, die zum Gelingen dieser Dissertation beigetragen haben. Dabei möchte ich mich zuerst bei Frau Prof. Dr. Sigrun-Heide Filipp bedanken, die mich dazu ermutigt hat, das Dissertationsprojekt in Angriff zu nehmen. Sie hat mich bei der Konzeption der Studie, der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Anregungen unterstützt und so eine optimale Betreuung meiner Arbeit gewährleistet. Bei Herrn Prof. Dr. Dieter Ferring möchte ich mich herzlich für die Begutachtung meiner Arbeit bedanken. Ein lieber Dank geht auch an meine Kolleginnen und Kollegen, die mich während der Probandenrekrutierung und durch fachliche Gespräche tatkräftig unterstützt haben. Dies sind vor allem die derzeitigen und ehemaligen Mitglieder der Abteilung für Angewandte Allen voran aber möchte ich meinen Dank meiner lieben Freundin und Kollegin Dipl.-Psych. Catherine Kaiser aussprechen. Mit ihr habe ich -seit Beginn der Studienzeit und während der rund zwei Jahre unserer Dissertationsprojekte -sowohl fruchtbare fachliche Diskussionen geführt wie auch viele schöne Stunden freier Zeit in Trier verbracht.
Background. Maintaining social relationships has been defined as a core element of aging well. Wi... more Background. Maintaining social relationships has been defined as a core element of aging well. With a considerable amount of older adults living alone, social media provides the possibility to engage in meaningful social contact, e. g., by joining online social networks and online discussion forums. Objective. The review encompasses current knowledge of prerequisites in social media use of older adults such as functional capacity, ICT-related knowledge, and favorable attitudes towards social media. Then, potential of social media use for clinical practice and possible negative consequences are outlined. Method. Literature on social media use from a gerontological perspective was reviewed in July and August 2012. Results. Online communities are suitable to provide and receive social support when confronted with a difficult life situation, regardless of geographical location or time. From a practitioners' perspective, social media can be used to advance health-related knowledge such as information on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of specific conditions and disorders. Further positive consequences have been shown to be overcoming loneliness, relieving stress, and raising feelings of control and self-efficacy. Possible negative consequences could be misuse of personal data as well as the distribution and uncritical adoption of potentially harmful information via online communities. Discussion. The potential of social media in clinical practice is reflected in a wide range of intervention possibilities for older adults. However, with the rise of social media new threats emerge for older adults as well.
Background. Non-employment periods during working life may hinder the development of cognitive re... more Background. Non-employment periods during working life may hinder the development of cognitive reserve but may also provide time for engaging in cognitively stimulating non-workrelated activities. This study examines whether different types of non-employment periods during working life predict cognitive function in old age. Methods. Cognitive function of 18,419 participants from 13 countries in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (age 50-73) was assessed in 2004 and 2006. Type and duration of nonemployment spells were derived from complete work histories reported in 2008.
According to life investment theory, the importance of life domains and goals shifts across the l... more According to life investment theory, the importance of life domains and goals shifts across the life span (Staudinger, 1996). Developmental theories explain the adjustment of goals to current life circumstances as an adaptive mechanism to ensure psychological well-being (e.g., Heckhausen & Schulz, 1995; Brandtstädter & Renner, 1990). The present study picks up these notions by, firstly, investigating content and meaning of life investment domains by a qualitative approach and, secondly, by exploring associations of life investment domains and indicators of psycho-physical well-being by quantitative methodology. A total of 62 participants aged 65 to 89 years answered to the question "Who or what is currently very important to you?" Categories were developed using qualitative content analysis, answers were then categorized by independent raters.
Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear a... more Objectives. The awareness of the inevitability of death might constitute a major source of fear and influence behavior and psychosocial well-being directly or indirectly. Attitudes toward death and dying in old age were explored in the context of legal alterations in Luxembourg allowing for medically assisted suicide in case of fatal illness.
Working-life employment gaps should be associated differently with later-life cognitive function ... more Working-life employment gaps should be associated differently with later-life cognitive function depending on their potential to decrease or increase cognitive reserve, e.g., by cognitively stimulating activities carried out during the gap. Employment gaps due to unemployment or sickness should worsen cognitive function, whereas gaps due to training should promote cognitive function. However, the role of education in these associations remains unclear. It is hypothesized that individuals with higher cognitive reserve, i.e., higher education, suffer less from unemployment or sickness spells, but also benefit less from training spells compared to lower-educated individuals. Method. Cognitive function (verbal fluency, immediate recall, delayed recall, orientation, numeracy) of 18,419 respondents aged 50-73 to the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe of 13 countries was assessed in 2004/5 and 2006/7. Employment gaps were derived from complete work histories assessed in 2008/9. Respondents' information on International Standard Classification of Education was recoded into low (< upper secondary), upper secondary, and post-secondary education.
International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2015
The search of social determinants of health and disease has advanced substantially over the last ... more The search of social determinants of health and disease has advanced substantially over the last decade. We present recent theoretical advancements, methodological approaches, and a selection of empirical evidence for the three main research strands: First, social inequalities can explain health differences. Here, we first focus on hierarchic social stratification with regard to socioeconomic and social class differences influencing health, then we extend the view towards non-hierarchic social stratification with regard to ethno-cultural differences, lifestyle, and cognitive and non-cognitive abilities. We shortly mention social relations and social network as determinants of health. Last, we use the concept of social times to distinguish age, period, and cohort effects in population health. After presenting evidence on contextual social determinants of health, we close with methodological challenges, social policy implications, and translation to practice.
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Papers by Anja Leist