“Psychological resilience of older people: expression and experience in the face of challenges”, Nr.S-PD-22-60

Project No. S-PD-22-60             
Project title: „Psychological resilience of older people: expression and experience in the face of challenges”
Project duration: from 2022-11-03 to 2024-10-31
Postdoctoral supervisor: prof. dr. Irena Zemaitaityte

Postdoctoral trainee: Joana Butenaite-Switkiewicz

Summary: Developing resilience in ageing is becoming a key priority for individuals, families, and society. Researchers highlight the lack of resilience studies on the elderly and emphasize the importance of successful ageing. Research shows that older people have the same or higher levels of resilience than younger individuals. However, it is not clear what level and factors of psychological resilience are characteristic of older people in the post-Soviet countries (Lithuania), where older people have undergone various political and social changes and where their standard of living is lower than the European average. The personal perspective of older people helps to understand by looking deeper into the problem and reveals how they face life challenges and develop their resilience throughout their lives. The goal of the research is to reveal the expression of psychological resilience and experience of older people in the face of challenges in the course of life. A mixed study design consisting of quantitative and qualitative research was chosen for the study. The quantitative study examines psychological resilience, and its factors in a representative sample of 18+ age groups, to identify and compare the level of psychological resilience in the elderly and its factors with other adult age groups. Qualitative research is planned to conduct semi-structured interviews with a variety of older people (60+ age) to uncover older people’s experiences, resources, and factors that affect their psychological resilience in the face of difficulties and to form a theory about older people’s psychological resilience in the face of challenges in the course of life. The results would contribute to successful and resilient ageing and encourage the development of strength-based interventions at both the individual and community levels.