WELL-BEING IN AGING - MENTAL ENGAGEMENTS IN ELDERLY MEN AS A MODERATOR OF LOSSES

To explore the intrapsychic components of adjustment in aging, this st udy investigated whether mental and emotional engagements with the pre sent and the past contribute positively to well-being in elderly men, and whether any of these engagements can moderate the negative effects of losses on well-being. Mental engagements are the cognitive compone nts of both the outer and the inner world. They comprise the activitie s and interests with which the individual is mentally involved and whi ch occupy his mind. Emotional engagements with significant others incl ude the relationships with significant people in one's life cycle. Men tal and emotional engagements with significant others also consist of preoccupation with the past through representation in the inner world of significant objects, events, and people. Participants were 60 elder ly retired Australian men. The results indicated that all the engageme nts were positively associated with well-being, but that only mental e ngagement with the present buffered the negative impact of loss of wor k and loss of health on well-being.