Personal resource capacity at a later age

Abstract

Introduction. The issues of assessing, preserving and strengthening a person’s potential resource towards ensuring proper quality of life, subjective well-being and life satisfaction at a later age are relevant for many social spheres, including education. The aim of this study is theoretical substantiation and empirical verification of the structural-functional model of personal resource capacity at a later age as a person’s integral characteristic. Materials and methods. The empirical study involved 528 respondents aged 45 to 75 years living in different regions of Russia (the majority – in the Ural Federal District). Two comparison groups were identified: the second maturity period (45-60 years old) and the elderly age (60-75 years old). A set of seven psychodiagnostic techniques selected in accordance with the components of a hypothetical model of personal resource capacity (regulative, life-conscious, life period perception component) was implemented. The methods of descriptive and comparative statistics as well as factor analysis were used for data processing. Results. The structural-functional model of personal resource capacity at a later age including the components “Life management”, “Age acceptance”, “Positive coping strategies”, “Age assimilation” was empirically verified and specified (the share of factor-model explained variance was 32,9%). The peculiarities of personal resource capacity at the second period of maturity and elderly age were revealed (the share of factor-models explained variance was 33.1% and 36.1%, respectively). The differences in the level of individual resources in all components of one’s potential are described, showing both the general decrease in resources in the course of transition to elderly age and the changes in attitudes towards them. Discussion and conclusion. The substantive content of the potential-resource adjusted components has confirmed its integral nature as a characteristic that takes place at a later age, allowing one to realise, redistribute and use the resource opportunities. The obtained results made it possible to differentiate the approaches to resource management at a later age. Educational technologies are effective both at a mature and elderly age, but their realisation should be carried out in conjunction with reflexive/evaluative methods in the programmes for mature-age learners, as well as with the methods of psychological support for elderly subjects of education. © 2023 LLC Ecological Help. All rights reserved.