A Light in a Sea of Darkness: The Moderating Role of Emotional Complexity in the PTSD Symptoms-Successful Aging Association

Y. Hoffman, E. Bodner, A. Shrira, S. Cohen-Fridel, Y. Palgi

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the underexplored effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on objective and subjective successful aging and to inquire whether emotional complexity moderates these effects. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 127, mean age = 67.86, SD = 11.07) rated their PTSD symptoms and completed measures of objective and subjective successful aging. They further reported their emotions on a daily basis over 14 days. After controlling for background characteristics, self-rated health and cumulative lifetime adversity, results showed that higher PTSD symptoms were related to less successful aging, both objectively and subjectively. However, this relationship existed only amongst older adults with low emotional complexity, but not amongst those with high emotional complexity. The findings suggest that high emotional complexity buffers against the negative effects of PTSD symptoms on successful aging. Interventions that empower emotional complexity amongst traumatized older adults may attenuate these negative effects.
Original languageAmerican English
StatePublished - 2019
Event9th IAGG-ER (International association of gerontology and geriatrics – European) - IAGG-ER, Gottenburg, Sweden
Duration: 2 May 20195 May 2019
https://www5.shocklogic.com/scripts/jmevent/programme.php?Client_Id=%27KONGRESS%27&Project_Id=%27IAGG19%27&System_Id=1 (Website)

Conference

Conference9th IAGG-ER (International association of gerontology and geriatrics – European)
Country/TerritorySweden
CityGottenburg
Period2/05/195/05/19
Internet address

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