PSYCHOSOCIAL PREDICTORS OF MENTAL-HEALTH IN A POPULATION OF ELDERLY WOMEN - TEST OF AN EXPLANATORY MODEL

The understanding of adjustment to aging calls for models that illustr ate the interaction of psychosocial and health factors. The authors su rveyed a group of retired Catholic sisters, examining the contribution s of psychosocial factors and religiousness to life satisfaction, psyc hological distress, and depression. Life satisfaction was best explain ed by a four-factor model that included mastery, social support, physi cal functioning, and religious commitment. General level of distress w as best predicted by physical functioning, social support, and mastery , but not religiousness. Depression on the other hand, was predicted b y mastery, social support, and religious commitment. These data are co nsistent with a proposed model in which internal, external, and coping resources mediate the psychological impact of impaired functional sta tus.