Lm. Range et Ta. Stringer, REASONS FOR LIVING AND COPING ABILITIES AMONG OLDER ADULTS, International journal of aging & human development, 43(1), 1996, pp. 1-5
Older adults have successfully resisted inclinations to commit suicide
; however, little research has focused on their ability to cope or the
ir reasons for living. In the present study, seventy-nine (fifty-five
women, twenty-two men, two unknown) older adults (M = 60.6 years) recr
uited from churches, retirement groups (n = 22), and relatives of coll
ege psychology students (n = 57), completed the Reasons for Living and
the Cope inventories. Overall coping was significantly positively cor
related with total reasons for living, r(78) = .19, p < .05, although
the low correlation suggests that the constructs are moderately unique
. Further, coping was positively correlated with two RFL subscales, Su
rvival and Coping Beliefs, r(78) = .27, p < .01, and Child-Related Con
cerns, r(78) = .28, p < .01. Women were higher than men in total reaso
ns for living, t(75) = 2.16, p < .05, but not significantly different
in coping abilities. Older women may underrate their ability to cope.
An implication is that suicide prevention strategies should target men
and bolster their cognitive deterrents to suicide.