Meaninglessness in the second half of life: The development of a construct

International Journal of Aging and Human Development

Volumn 47, Issue 2, 1998, Pages 81-104

  Van Selm, Martine ^a,b   Dittmann Kohli, Freya ^a  

^a RADBOUD UNIVERSITY NIJMEGEN   (Netherlands)

^b Department of Psychogerontology ^*  (Netherlands)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADULT; AFFECTIVE NEUROSIS; AGED; ALIENATION; ARTICLE; DEPRESSION; ELDERLY CARE; EMOTION; FEMALE; HELPLESSNESS; HUMAN; HUMAN CELL; HUMAN TISSUE; LIFESPAN; MAJOR CLINICAL STUDY; MALE; MOTIVATION; RATING SCALE; SELF EVALUATION; SOCIAL ISOLATION;

EID: 0031773763     PISSN: 00914150     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2190/W2XN-BBJM-MF4Y-ADEC     Document Type: Article

References (64)

1. Andriessen, H. C. I. (1992). Zingevingsproblematiek. In H. P. J. Buijssen (Ed.), Psychologische hulpverlening aan ouderen. Diagnostiek, therapie preventie. (pp. 251-275). Nijkerk: Intro.
2. Antonovsky, A. (1993). The structure and properties of the sense of coherence scale. Social Sciences and Medicine, 36, 725-733.
3. Antonovsky, A. (1991). The structural sources of salutogenic strength. In C. Cooper & R. Payne (Eds.), Personality and stress: Individual differences in the stress process (pp. 67-104). New York: Wiley.
4. Antonovsky, A. (1987). Unravelling the mystery of health. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
5. Baum, S. K. (1988). Meaningful life experiences for elderly persons. Psychological Reports, 63, 427-443.
6. Baumeister, R. F. (1991). Meanings of life. New York/London: Guilford.
7. Bouffard, L., Bastin, E., & Lapierre, S. (1991). Extension temporelle des buts et age chronologique au cours de la vieillesse. Canadian Journal on Aging, 10, 271-288.
8. Braam, G. P. A. (1991). Problemen van ouderen en thema's in de wetenschap. Tijdschrift voor gerontologie en geriatrie, 22, 105-106.
9. Brandtstädter, J., & Greve, W. (1992). Das Selbst im Alter: adaptive und protektive Mechanismen. Zeitschrift für Entwicklungspsychologie und pädagogische Psychologie, 24, 269-297.
10. Brandtstädter J., & Greve, W. (1994). The aging self: Stabilizing and protective processes. Developmental Review, 14, 52-80.
11. Brink, T. L., Yesavage, J., Lum, O., Heersema, P., Adey, M., & Rose, T. (1982). Screening tests for geriatric depression. Clinical Gerontologist, 7, 37-43.
12. Bromley, D. B. (1990). Behavioral gerontology: Central issues in the psychology of ageing. Chichester, New York, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore: John Wiley & Sons.
13. Butler, R. N. (1977). The life review: An interpretation of reminiscence in the aged. In L. R. Almann & D. T. Jaffe (Eds.), Readings in adult psychology: Contemporary perspectives (pp. 329-339). New York: Harper & Row.
14. Calster, K., Lens, W., & Nuttin, J. R. (1987). Affective attitudes toward the personal future: Impact on motivation in high school boys. American Journal of Psychology, 100, 1-13.
15. Campell, J. D., & Lavallee, L. F. (1993). Who am I? The role of self-concept confusion in understanding the behaviour of people with low self-esteem. In R. F. Baumeister (Ed.), Self-esteem: The puzzle of low self-regard (pp. 3-20). New York: Plenum.
16. Carstensen, L. L. & Freund, A. M. (1994). The resilience of the aging self. Developmental Review, 14, 81-92.
17. Chamberlain, K., & Zika, S. (1988). Measuring meaning in life: An examination of three scales. Personality and Individual Differences, 9, 589-596.
18. Coleman, P. G., Ivani-Chalian, C., & Robinson, M. (1993). Self-esteem and its sources: Stability and change in latter life. Ageing & Society, 13, 171-192.
19. Cross, S., & Markus, H. (1991). Possible selves across the life span. Human Development, 34, 230-255.
20. De Vogler, K. L., & Ebersole, P. (1981). Adults' meaning in life. Psychological Reports, 49, 87-90.
21. DeVogler, K. L., & Ebersole, P. (1983). Young adolescents' meaning in life. Psychological Reports, 52, 427-431.
22. DeVogler-Ebersole, K. L., & Ebersole, P. (1985). Depth of meaning in life. Psychological Reports, 56, 303-310.
23. Dittmann-Kohli, F. (1990). The construction of meaning in old age: Possibilities and constraints. Ageing and Society, 10, 279-294.
24. Dittmann-Kohli, F. (1991). Code-Manual zur Erfassung des Persönlichen Sinnsystems Einführung und Beispiele. Berlin: Max Planck Institut für Bildungssorschung.
25. Dittmann-Kohli, F. (1992). Das SELE-Verfahren: Eine neue Methode zur Erhebung von Selbstbeschreibungen. (Internal Report). The Netherlands: University of Nijmegen, Department of Psychogerontology.
26. Dittmann-Kohli, F. (1995). Das Persönliche Sinnsystsem: Ein Vergleich zwischen frühem und spätem Erwachsenenalter. Göttingen: Hogrefe.
27. Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and Society. New York: Norton.
28. Erikson, E. H., Erikson, J. M., $ Kivnick, H. Q. (1986). Vital involvement in old age. New York: Norton.
29. Fillip, S. H., & Klauer, T. (1986). Conceptions of self over the life span: Reflections on the dialectics of change. In M. M. Baltes & P. B. Baltes (Eds.), The psychology of personal control and aging (pp. 167-205). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
30. Fiske, M. (1980). Tasks and crises of the second half of life: The interrelationship of commitment, coping, and adaption. In J. E. Birren & R. B. Sloane (Eds.), Handbook of mental health and aging (pp. 337-373). Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
31. Frankl, V. E. (1963). Man's search for meaning. Boston: Beacon.
32. Frankl, V. E. (1973). Meaninglessness: A challenge to psychologists. In T. Miller (Ed.), Theories of psychopathology and personality (pp. 232-238). Toronto: Saunders.
33. Gut, E. (1985). Productive and unproductive depression: Interference in the adaptive function of the basic depressed response. British Journal of Psychotherapy, 2, 95-113.
34. Gut, E. (1989). Productive and unproductive depression. London: Tavistock/ Routledge.
35. Hermans, H. J. M., Kempen, H. J. G., & van Loon, R. J. P. (1992). The dialogical self. American Psychologist, 47, 23-33.
36. Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-discrepancy: A theory relating self and affect. Psychological Review, 94, 319-340.
37. Karpf, R. J. (1977). The psychotherapy of depression. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 74, 349-353.
38. Kaufman, S. R. (1986). The ageless self: Sources of meaning in later life. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
39. Kiyak, H. A., & Borson, S. (1992). Coping with chronic illness and disability. In M. G. Ory, R. P. Abeles, & P. D. Lipman (Eds.), Aging, health and behavior (pp. 141-173). Newbury Park/London/New Delhi: Sage.
40. Klinger, E. (1977). Meaning and void: Inner experiences and the incentives in people's lives. Minneapolis: University Press.
41. Lawton, M. P., Kleban, M. H., Rajagopal, D., & Dean, J. (1992). Dimensions of affective experience in three age groups. Psychology and Aging, 7, 171-184.
42. Langan-Fox, J. (1991). Motivation and the self-concept: Persisting goals of young women and men. International Journal of Psychology, 26, 409-427.
43. Lapierre, S., Bouffard, L., & Bastin, E. (1992). Motivational goal object in later life. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 36, 279-292.
44. Maddi, S. R. (1970). The search for meaning. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, 70, 137-186.
45. Nies, H. L. G. R., & Munnichs, J. M. A. (1989). Met begrip zingeving. In J. M. A. Munnichs & G. Uildriks (Eds.), Psychogerontologie (pp. 53-57). Deventer: Van Loghum Slaiems.
46. Nuttin, J., & Lens, W. (1985). Future time perspective and motivation. Hillsdale, NJ: Leuven and Erlbaum.
47. Reker, G. T., & Wong, P. T. (1988). Aging as an individual process: Toward a theory of personal meaning. In J. E. Birren & V. L. Bengston (Eds.), Emergent theories of aging (pp. 214-246). New York: Springer.
48. Rodin, J. & Timko, C. (1992). Sense of control, aging and health. In M. G. Ory, R. P. Abeles, & P. D. Lipman (Eds.), Aging, health and behavior (pp. 174-206). Newbury Park/London/New Delhi: Sage.
49. Ruffin, J. (1984). The anxiety of meaninglessness. Journal of Counseling and Development, 63, 40-42.
50. Seligman, M. E. P. (1989). Why is there so much depression today? The waxing of the individual and the waning of the commons. In R. R. Ingram (Ed.), Contemporary approaches to depression (pp. 1-9). New York: Plenum.
51. Schaie, K. W., & Willis, S. L. (1993). Adult development and aging (3rd ed.). New York: HarperCollins.
52. Stevens, N. (1989). Well-being in widowhood. The Netherlands: University of Nijmegen, Department of Psychogerontology.
53. Stevens, N., & van Selm, M. (1993). Zinloosheid als thema binnen de psycho-sociale hulpverlening aan mensen in de tweede levenshelft. In M. M. Blom, Y. Kuin, & H. F. J. Hendriks (Eds.), Ouder worden '93(pp. 132-138). Utrecht: NIZW.
54. Stevens, N., Tirnmer, E., & Katzko, M. (submitted). Social bonds and women's lives: A comparison of older and younger womens' self- and life-constructs. Sex Roles.
55. Strickland, B. R. (1989). Internal-external control expectancies: From contingencies to creativity. American Psychologist, 44, 1-12.
56. Taylor, C. (1989). Sources of the self: The making of modern identity. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
57. Thissen, T. (1991). Handleiding SELE. Een kwalilatieve dataverzamlingsmethode ter bepallng van de persoonlijke zingeving. Nederlandse bewerking. (Internal Report). The Netherlands: University of Nijmegen, Department of Psychogerontology.
58. van der Lans, J. (1992). Zingeving en levensbeschouwing. Een psychologische begripsvrekenning. In F. Eijkmans (Ed.), Weer zin leren. Over levensbeschouwing en educatie (pp. 7-20). Best: Damon.
59. van Ranst, N. (1995). Zingeving in de ouderdom. Structuur en correlaten van persoonlijke zingeving en individuele beleving van zinvol ouder worden. Belgium: Universiteit Leuven, Centrum voor ontwikkelingspsychologie.
60. van Ranst, N. & Marcoen, A. (1993). Zinvol ouder worden. In M. M. Blom, Y. Kuin, & H. F. J. Hendriks (Eds.), Ouder worden '93 (pp. 125-131). Utrecht: NIZW.
61. van Selm, M. (1995). Methode voor het identificeren van zinloosheid. Codeboek voor de inhoudsanalyse van SELE-data (Internal Report). The Netherlands: University of Nijmegen, Department of Psychogerontology.
62. Weisskopf-Joelson, F. (1968). Meaning as an integrating factor. In C. Bühler $ F. Masarik (Eds.), The course of human life. A study of goals in the humanistic perspective (pp. 359-382). New York: Springer.
63. Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.
64. Yesavage, J. A., Brink, T. L., Rose, T. L., Huang, V., Adey, M., & Leire, V. O. (1983). Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: A preliminary report. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 17, 37-49.