Characteristics of human resilience in old age: results of an empirical study

Aims: to identify the psychological characteristics of human resilience in old age. Materials and methods. The paper presents the results of an empirical study of resilience in elderly people (N = 177) and the general sample (N = 385). The study involved the following tests: the Human Resilience test, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory, the life satisfaction questionnaire, the Wellbeing, Activity, Mood test, and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (R. Schwarzer, M. Jerusalem). The correlation analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics v. 21. Results. The relationship between resilience and life satisfaction, self-efficacy, activity, mood, wellbeing, anxiety, and the level of depression was found in elderly people. The psychological characteristics of resilience in elderly people were identified as a result of correlation analysis and intergroup comparison. Conclusion. The main characteristics of resilience in elderly people involve decreased levels of activity and wellbeing, which result in depressive mood, discouragement, and apathy; in other elderly people, decreased activity does not result in a decrease in quality of life. Such people are able to make plans, develop, and live a full life. In elderly people, a person’s ability for self-regulation and meaningfulness in life increases, while there is a slight decrease in the ability for self-development.