Perceived Social Support, Hassles, and Coping Among the Elderly

Abstract

An essential aspect of aging is successful coping. This entails learning how to deal effectively with change, losses, disappointments, and decline. The present study examined the relationship between coping, social support, daily hassles, functional disability, and physical and psychological health status in a sample of 224 community-residing older adults. Data were collected using a confidential and anonymous questionnaire. Results of structural equation analyses showed that social support was associated with fewer daily hassles. Social support was also indirectly related to daily hassles—that is, by increasing proactive coping. Further results indicated that proactive coping was inversely related to health hassles and functional disability. Proactive coping also was indirectly related to somatization and functional disability through health hassles. Results also showed that greater functional disability was associated with greater somatization. Implications of the results for healthy psychological functioning in the elderly are discussed.