Emotional Intelligence and Depressive Symptoms as Predictors of Happiness Among Adolescents

Background: Given that happiness is an important construct to enable adolescents to cope better with difficulties and stress of life, it is necessary to advance our knowledge about the possible etiology of happiness in adolescents. Objectives: The present study sought to investigate the relationships of emotional intelligence, depressive symptoms, and happiness in a sample of male students in Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of high school students in Tehran in 2012. The participants comprised of 188 male students (aged 16 to 19 years old) selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. For gathering the data, the students filled out assessing emotions scale, Beck depression inventory-II, and Oxford happiness inventory. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive and analytical statistics in statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software. Results: The findings showed that a significant positive association existed between high ability of emotional intelligence and happiness (P < 0.01). Conversely, the low ability of emotional intelligence was associated with unhappiness (P < 0.01), there was a positive association between non-depression symptoms and happiness (P < 0.05), and severe depressive symptoms were positively associated with unhappiness (P < 0.01). High ability of emotional intelligence (P < 0.01) and non-depression symptoms (P < 0.05) were the strongest predictors of happiness. Conclusions: These findings reinforced the importance of emotional intelligence as a facilitating factor for happiness in adolescences. In addition, the findings suggested that depression symptoms may be harmful for happiness in adolescents

ENERGY AND MACRONUTRIENT INTAKES IN OLDER URBAN AND RURAL IRANIAN ADULTS

Adequacy of energy and macronutrient intakes is important for disease prevention, health maintenance and nutrition program development in older adults. The present study was designed to evaluate and compare the adequacy of energy and macronutrient intakes of elderly living in rural and urban areas in the north-west of Iran. A total of 432 older adults (332 urban and 100 rural) were selected through stratified, multistage probability cluster sampling. Dietetic information was obtained through three-day 24-hour dietary recall interviews. A small proportion of the subjects (4% rural and 0.6% urban) were underweight while approximately half was either overweight or obese. Aged subjects from the urban had a significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) (t=3.46, p<0.05) than their rural counterparts. There was also significant greater proportion of elderly subjects who were overweight or obese (c =14.42, p<0.05). Older adults from the rural had significant more daily energy (t=3.49, p<0.05), carbohydrates (t=2.96, p<0.05) and fat intakes (t=3.15, p<0.05) than their urban counterparts. Generally, average daily intake of energy was lower than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) in developing countries. High contribution of carbohydrates and low contribution of proteins to total calory intake were observed in the daily diet of the elderly. There is a need to offer health and nutrition awareness programs for the elderly and their families by health care providers

Applying of theory of planned behavior to promote physical activity and exercise behavior among older adults

Regular physical activity (PA) is foremost important for well-being and independent living in older age. However, recently, more than 75% of older adults have not been involved in any PA/exercise program at the suggested levels. Understanding their perspective towards PA/exercise provide important information in development of interventions for improving their exercise behavior. A conceptual framework that has been successfully applied for exercise behavior is the theory of planned behavior (TPB). The TPB has well shown the relationship between attitudes and PA/exercise behavior directly or indirectly through intention. Attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are three independent concepts of this theory. In fact, positive attitude, better perceived social pressure, and greater behavioral control result in stronger intention to perform a given behavior. PA/exercise intention is explained more by the TPB constructs in older compared to younger adults. Advancing age is associated with reduction in PA/exercise intention; however, the translation of intention to behavior increases. Furthermore, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control are considered as the strongest determinants of PA/exercise intention among older adults. Hence, the interventions targeting these factors will be valuable in promoting exercise behavior in the elderly

Health Blief Model-based intervention to improve nutritional behavior among elderly women

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Nutrition is a determinant factor of health in elderly people. Independent living in elderly people can be maintained or enhanced by improvement of nutritional behavior. Hence, the present study was conducted to determine the impact of Health Belief Model (HBM)-based intervention on the nutritional behavior of elderly women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Cluster-random sampling was used to assess the sample of this clinical trial study. The participants of this study attended a 12-week nutrition education program consisting of two (2) sessions per week. There was also a follow-up for another three (3) months. Smart PLS 3.5 and SPSS 19 were used for structural equation modeling, determination of model fitness, and hypotheses testing. RESULTS: The findings indicate that intervention had a significant effect on knowledge improvement as well as the behavior of elderly women. The model explained 5 to 70% of the variance in nutritional behavior. In addition, nutritional behavior was positively affected by the HBM constructs comprised of perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and barriers after the intervention program. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that HBM-based educational intervention has a significant effect in improving nutritional knowledge and behavior among elderly women

Efficacy of Progressive Resistance Tube Training in Community Dwelling Older Adults: A Pilot Study

SummaryBackground/objectiveFalls are known to be one of the most prevalent public health problems in older adults. Currently, the aging population is growing fast. It is essential to use low cost, time-efficient exercise intervention programs for increasing strength, functional mobility, and balance in older adults, and subsequently decrease the risk of falls. This is a pilot study to assess the effects of a 12-week progressive resistance tube training session on the lower limb muscle strength, dynamic balance, and functional mobility in elderly people.MethodsSeventeen community dwelling older adults with a mean age of 69.2 ± 4.62 years were recruited among residents of a senior day care center in Malaysia to participate in this pilot study. Eight out of 17 participants completed their lower extremity resistance tube training sessions three times per week for 12 weeks. Lower limb muscle strength and functional mobility were tested by five times sit to stand test (FRSTST), and timed up and go test (TUG), respectively. Functional reach test (FRT) and four square step test (FSST) were applied to measure dynamic balance.ResultsThe results revealed significant increases in lower limb strength (30.3%), dynamic balance (29.6% in FRT and 15.3% in FSST), and functional mobility (27.1%) (all significant at p < 0.05).ConclusionIt was concluded that the use of a simple and inexpensive strength training program may improve leg muscle strength and consequently dynamic balance and mobility in elderly people and make them independent in their daily activities

Health Belief Model-based intervention to improve nutritional behavior among elderly women

Background/objectives: Nutrition is a determinant factor of health in elderly people. Independent living in elderly people can be maintained or enhanced by improvement of nutritional behavior. Hence, the present study was conducted to determine the impact of Health Belief Model (HBM)-based intervention on the nutritional behavior of elderly women. Subjects/methods: Cluster-random sampling was used to assess the sample of this clinical trial study. The participants of this study attended a 12-week nutrition education program consisting of two (2) sessions per week. There was also a follow-up for another three (3) months. Smart PLS 3.5 and SPSS 19 were used for structural equation modeling, determination of model fitness, and hypotheses testing. Results: The findings indicate that intervention had a significant effect on knowledge improvement as well as the behavior of elderly women. The model explained 5 to 70% of the variance in nutritional behavior. In addition, nutritional behavior was positively affected by the HBM constructs comprised of perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, perceived benefits, and barriers after the intervention program. Conclusion: The results of this study show that HBM-based educational intervention has a significant effect in improving nutritional knowledge and behavior among elderly women

Examining the association between emotional intelligence with depression among Iranian boy students

The present study sought to examine the association between emotional intelligence and depression in boy students in, Tehran, Iran. The sample size was 188 boy students at the age of 16 to 19 years old were chosen for this study. The Assessing Emotions Scale (AES), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) were filled out by students. The Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate regression analysis were utilized. The findings showed that a negative association existed between high ability of emotional intelligence with depression and a positive association existed between low ability of emotional intelligence with depression. These results revealed that emotional intelligence was a valuable predictor of depression in adolescents

Assessing Mediating Role of Financial Satisfaction in the Relationship of Financial Literacy With Quality of Life in Retired Older Adults

Objectives The world’s population is rapidly aging; hence, paying attention to the quality of life (QoL) of the elderly is of great importance. Financial satisfaction is one of the important components of QoL. The present study aims to determine the association between financial literacy and QoL among retired older adults mediated by their financial satisfaction. Methods & Materials This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 on 270 retired older adults in Qazvin, Iran. The samples were selected through stratified random sampling method from 8 retirement centers in Qazvin, Iran. The data were collected using demographic checklist, the control, autonomy, self-realization, and pleasure (CASP) scale, financial literacy scale, and financial satisfaction scale. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the mediating role of financial satisfaction in the relationship of financial literacy with the QoL. Results The mean age of older adults was 65.17±4.57 years. The majority of them were male (n=166, 61.85%) and married (n=245, 90.7%). Their Mean score of financial literacy and financial satisfaction were 51.60 and 35.11 out of 100, respectively. Their quality of life was at a moderate level (Mean= 63.89 out of 100). The results of the regression analysis showed the significant association of financial literacy (P=0.006, β=-0.17) and financial satisfaction (β=0.25, P<0.001) with the quality of life. The results also confirmed the mediating role of financial satisfaction (P=0.014). Conclusion Financial literacy of the elderly has a significant and positive association with their quality of life mediated by financial satisfaction. Therefore, policymakers in Iran are recommended to develop preretirement financial education programs for improving the financial literacy of the elderly

Predictive factors of Quality of Life in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Given the vulnerability of older people to COVID-19, it is important to consider their physical and mental wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) in the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the present study was aimed to identify the QoL and its predictive factors among a sample of Iranian older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 older people residing in Qazvin, Iran, from May 22th to November 21rd, 2021. Multistage cluster sampling method was used for selecting the eligible older adults. Data were collected using the demographic checklist, fear of COVID-19 scale, and Elderly Quality of Life Questionnaire (LIPAD). The multivariate regression model was used for determining the predictive factors of QoL in older people. Results: The mean age of older participants was 69.17±6.75 years old. The results of multivariate regression model showed that fear of COVID-19, age, marital status, level of education, living arrangement, and economic situation were the signifcant predictors of QoL in the older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: It is recommended to pay close attention to divorced, lonely, and illiterate older people and those with low economic situation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: Aged, Quality of life, COVID-19, Fea