Style starzenia się a subiektywny dobrostan kobiet w późnej dorosłości, studiujących na Uniwersytecie Trzeciego Wieku

Abstract

The research objective was finding the reasons behind the level of personality, social and emotional subjective wellbeing of women in late adulthood presenting different ageing styles and undertaking cognitive activity in the form of education at the University of the Third Age. It was assumed that a higher level of subjective wellbeing should be prevalent among women with a mature ageing style than in women with a “rocking-chair”, armoured, angry and self-hating style. Furthermore, higher results were expected in the field of level of subjective wellbeing of women undergoing education in the University of the Third Age in comparison to women that did not undertake that type of activity, as well as the occurrence of adaptive ageing styles in them. The research encompassed 100 women aged 60-72 years old, which included 49 studying women aged 60-72 years old and 51 women aged 60-70 years old who did not undertake studies. The results obtained revealed that women presenting a mature ageing style in comparison to women with different ageing styles experience a higher sense of personality and emotional wellbeing. Women that undertook further education mainly presented a mature ageing style. The level of wellbeing of studying women in comparison with the level of women not involved in studying is higher in the scope of sense of life goal, but lower in the field of social coherence and positive affect.