Mediational effect of meaning in life on the relationship between optimism and well-being in community elderly

The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediational role of meaning in life on the relationship between optimism and subjective well-being in older adults. Two hundred and fifty community-dwelling subjects completed several instruments assessing the above constructs. Results from structural equation modeling indicated that optimism was positively associated with both meaning in life and subjective well-being. Furthermore, the relationship between optimism and wellbeing was partially mediated by meaning in life. Although numerous studies have found that optimism is a significant predictor of well-being, the current results indicate that it might not be a key predictor in elders. Our findings suggest that a focus on meaning in life may be a productive avenue to enhance subjective well-being in later life although stable internal resources such as optimism and pessimism impact their subjective well-being. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.