Spirituality and psychosocial development in middle-age and older adults with vision loss

The purpose of this study was to examine the buffering effects of spirituality on stress resulting from vision status, health status, and from other significant life events as related to psychosocial development according to Erikson's 8-stage theory. Participants were middle-aged and older adults with recent vision loss who had applied for vision rehabilitation services (n = 195). The regression model included independent factors of sociodemographic variables, life stress measures (i.e., vision status, health status, and life experience ratings), mediating variables (i.e., spirituality, religiousness, and social support), and the outcome of psychosocial development. Spirituality was found to play a buffering role on the effects of negative life experience impact and control ratings. Vision impairment status did not appear to either promote or hinder psychosocial development.