Predict of Social Adjustment in the Elderly based on Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation and Perceived Social Support

Mahmoudpour, Abdolbaset; Alkasir, Fatemeh; Ahmadboukani, Soliman

doi:10.22055/psy.2023.43200.2980

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

¹ PhD in Counseling, Department of Counseling, Faculty of psychology and educational sciences, Allameh Tabataba'I University, Tehran. Iran.

² PhD Candidate of Counseling, Department of Counseling, Faculty of psychology and educational sciences, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran. Iran.

³ Ph.D. in Counseling, Department of Counseling, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

10.22055/psy.2023.43200.2980

Abstract

Introduction
The Elderly have been a major issue for experts, policymakers, and even the public in recent years. The aim of this study was to predict social adjustment in the elderly based on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support. In recent years, the aging society has received attention in the field of global health, while some societies face it and others will face it in the not-too-distant future. One of the variables that can be effective in the social adaptation of the elderly is perceived social support. Social support plays a role as a psychosocial protective factor in relation to mental health problems. Social support is generally expressed in two ways: received social support and perceived social support. The meaning of received social support is the extent to which an elderly person enjoys obvious support, such as support from family and friends, and the meaning of perceived social support is satisfaction and having social support with positive emotions.
Emotional distress, likely to be triggered by the current coronavirus situation, is another risk factor for premature death, as anxiety is known to be a predictor of all-cause death. This calls for addressing the psychological and behavioral effects, including perceived social support and emotion regulation that COVID-19 may have on social adjustment and the lives of individuals in this age group. However, little is known about emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and perceived social support and their association with social adjustment among the elderly during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, it seems necessary to discover the factors affecting social adaptation in achieving the growth of its physical, psychological, and social dimensions; therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of predicting social adjustment in the elderly based on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support.

Methods
The present research was of the applied type and among descriptive and correlational research. The statistical population of the present study was all the elderly in Ahvaz in the period of November 1400 to December 1400 in the age range of 57 to 74 years. Data were collected using the Bell Social Adjustment Questionnaire (1962), Simmons & Gahr (2005) Distress Tolerance, Gross & John Emotion Regulation (2003), and Social Support (Zimmet, 1988). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis).

Results
The results showed that there is a direct relationship between anxiety tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support with social adjustment (p <0.05). The adjusted R square value was equal to 0.416, which showed that the variables of distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support explained 41.6% of the variance of social adjustment. The value of the standardized regression coefficient for the component of emotional distress tolerance (p<0.01, β=0.281), absorption of negative emotions (p<0.05, β=0.122), subjective estimation of distress (p<0.01, β=0.184), trying to relieve distress (p<0.01, β=0.274), marketing emotions (p<0.01, β=0.255), inhibiting emotions (p<0.01, -0.321 =β), emotional social support (p<0.01, β=0.325), support from relatives (p<0.01, β=0.153) and support from others (p<0.01, β=0.223). Therefore, it was concluded that distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support can predict social adjustment. The findings of the present study indicate the importance of the variables of anxiety tolerance, emotion regulation, and perceived social support in explaining social adjustment in the elderly.

Discussion
Therefore, it is recommended to train for stress tolerance, emotion regulation, providing adequate support from family and important people in life, and developing the dimensions of adjustment in the elderly.

Conclusion
Emotion regulation strategies, distress tolerance, and perceived social support in the elderly can change their social adjustment capacity and thus affect their mental health. From a fundamental point of view, the research of the current research can be considered as a main factor in explaining social adaptation, and at the practical level, for more adaptation in the elderly, emotion regulation strategies, distress tolerance, and social support are considered. One of the limitations of the present study was conducted only on the elderly people of Ahvaz city. It is suggested to conduct research on a larger sample and elderly people with psychological disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.

Keywords

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Predict of Social Adjustment in the Elderly based on Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation and Perceived Social Support

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Volume 31, Issue 2 - Serial Number 32December 2024Pages 161-184

Volume 31, Issue 2 - Serial Number 32
December 2024
Pages 161-184