Educational Attainment, Positive Psychological Mediators, and Resources for Health and Vitality in Older Adults

Abstract

Objectives: To further explain the relationship of education to health by a prospective examination of positive psychological states as mediators. Furthermore, to examine the resources of desirable events, self-esteem, and social support as possible mediators between positive psychological states and subsequent health and vitality. Methods: Four in-home interviews were conducted at 6-month intervals with a probability sample of 1,277 older adults (aged 55 and older); multiple regression was used to estimate mediating effects. Results: Positive states mediated the education relationship to both symptoms and vitality, independent of negative states; the resource measures did not mediate the positive state-health relationship. Discussion: Higher education level appears to increase the likelihood of being serene and happy, and healthy and vital, in later years; positive psychological states appeared to have both a promotion function (for vitality) and protective function (against health symptoms); self-esteem showed promise as a possible mediator of the effects of psychological states on health.