Exploring the Links between Spirituality and Successful Aging of Older Adults
AUTHOR : 정순화,임정하
INFORMATION : page. 59~79 / 2013 Vol.20 No.4
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between successful aging and the spirituality of
older adults in Korea. Three hundreds and fifteen older adults||| aged from 61 to 91 in the Seoul
metropolitan area||| participated in this study. The structured interview method was used to assess the
successful aging||| spirituality||| physical and cognitive functioning of older adults. Group mean comparisons
showed that in general||| the average level of successful aging was different according to gender.
Additionally||| the average level of religious and existential spirituality was different by age and economic
status. Pearson’s correlation analyses indicated that the level of successful aging was positively associated
with the level of religious and existential spirituality. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that
existential spirituality was an influential and unique factor in explaining the level of successful aging
controlling for demographic characteristics||| physical and cognitive functioning of the older adults. These
findings suggest that existential spirituality should be considered and supported as a source of well-being
in later life.