PERSONALITY INFLUENCE ON HEALTH

Personality Influence on Health

Personality Influence on Health

Introduction

There is limited understanding about variables associated with fatigue in late and very late life. The purpose of this study was to explore the longitudinal influences of personality and health behaviors on changes in fatigue. One hundred and seventy-eight participants of the Georgia Centenarian Study were part of this study. Multiple regression analyses were computed to assess the influence of personality? physical activity? stress management? and nutritional risk on fatigue after initial fatigue? self-reported health? and psychosocial variables were controlled for. Anxiety? physical activity? and nutritional risk had significant longitudinal effects on fatigue. Older adults who were anxious? less engaged in physical activity? and who had higher levels of nutritional risk were more likely to show increased fatigue levels. The results suggest that more clinical and research attention should be paid to changes of fatigue in older populations.

Mental and physical fatigue can compromise optimal adaptation and life strengths in late life. earlier research suggested that fatigue increased over time (Martin? Long? & Poon? 2002)? but there is no longitudinal evidence assessing predictors of fatigue over time. Therefore? purpose in this investigation was to explore predictors of fatigue in late and very late life. Researchers consider personality traits and health behaviors to be important resources or vulnerabilities predicting differential levels of fatigue.

Analysis

Gallo? Rabins? and Anthony (1999) have argued that older adults often experience a phenomenon described as "depression without sadness." Others have described this as the "depletion syndrome" (Adams? 2001; Fogel & Fretwell? 1985; Newman? Engel? & Jensen? 1990? 1991; Newman? Klein? Jensen? & Essex? 1996). Unlike depression? which encompasses feelings of guilt? worthlessness? and self-blame in addition to feelings of low energy? depletion has little to no commonality with mood states (Adams). Depletion entails a general lack of interest in daily activities? as well as a feeling that everyday activity requires effort.

Gatz (1998) proposed a conceptual model of depressive and physical symptoms? which included fatigue as an important component. This particular model is based on a developmental diathesis-stress framework in which biological and physical vulnerability? stressful life events? and psychological diathesis (resilience) influence different trajectories across the life span (Gatz? Kasl-dley? & Karel? 1996). Individuals are theorized as having long-standing resource deficits (e.g.? greater physical limitations) stemming from stressful life experiences. Resource deficits occur under conditions of vulnerability (Gatz). In contrast? the use of protective factors may offset any decline in resources? and any age-related increase in fatigue could be offset by available resources.

Gatz (1998) also contends that older adults maintain an "affective reserve." The concepts of affective reserve and resilience share common features. Resilience refers to "patterns of desirable behavior in situations where adaptive functioning or development have been or currently are significantly threatened by adverse experiences or rearing conditions" (Masten? 1999? p. 283). Adverse experiences in later life include physical and functional impairment? as well as changes in social support? and sensory impairments (Martin? Poon? Kim? & Johnson? 1996). When an older adult is faced with these changes? depletion ...