Relationship of Global Self-Evaluations of Activity to Psychosocial and Health-Related Aging Outcomes. (October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Carlson, Mike; Kuo, Ann; Chou, Chih-Ping; Clark, Florence
• Is Part Of: OTJR. Volume 33:Number 4(2013)
• Page Start: 180
• Page End: 189
• Publication Date: 2013-10
• Subjects: activity measurement -- well-being -- older adults; Occupational therapy -- Periodicals; 615.8515
• DOI: 10.3928/15394492-20130712-01
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1539-4492

Abstract

The authors obtained older adults' self-rated judgments about the quality of their activity engagement considered as a whole (global activity evaluation) and, using cross-sectional survey data, tested the ability of such judgments to predict well-being. Participants were 460 community-dwelling older adults who responded to (1) global activity evaluations, (2) activity participation frequency scales, and (3) indices of life satisfaction, depression, and physical and mental health-related quality of life. Regression analyses indicated that global activity evaluations had a stronger relationship to psychosocial outcome indices than did participation frequency ratings, although both measurement approaches were associated with statistically significant predictions. However, global evaluations and participation frequency ratings were approximately equal in their ability to predict physical health-related quality of life. These relationships were fairly consistent across ethnic groups. Overall, the results suggest that ideally the two strategies for assessing activity should be incorporated in future research on activity and occupational therapy practice.