Open access

Satisfaction, Happiness, and Self-Esteem of Older Rural Parents

Publication: Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
September 1991

Abstract

Effects of familial social support on three indicators of well-being among elderly rural Manitobans were examined. Social exchange theory predicted interaction with offspring would have no effect on well-being, while being religious, having high income, and good health would have a positive effect. A random sample of 137 respondents was obtained via personal structures interviews. Three indicators of well-being, daily satisfaction, global happiness, and self-esteem were regressed against demographic variables, interaction with offspring, religiosity, income, and health. Results were only partially consistent with social exchange theory. Parental contact with children predicted life satisfaction but was unrelated to global happiness. Religiosity predicted global happiness for both fathers and mothers and satisfaction for fathers. Good health predicted higher satisfaction and global happiness for both fathers and mothers. Income was unrelated to all measures of well-being. Self-esteem was not predicted by any independent variable for mothers or fathers.

Résumé

Les effets du soutien social donné par la famille sur trois indicateurs de bien-être furent étudiés chez des personnes âgées du Manitoba vivant en milieu rural. Suivant la théorie des échanges sociaux, les interactions avec les enfants n'auraient pas d'effet sur le bien-être, alors que la religiositė, un revenu élevé et une bonne santè auraient une influence positive. Les données furent recueillics au moyen d'entrevues structurées auprès d'un échantillon au hasard de 137 personnes. Des analyses de régression furent effectuées sur trois indicateurs de bienêtre, soit la satisfaction dans la vie quotidienne, le bonheur général, et l'estime de soi. Les variables démographiques, l'interaction avec les enfants, la religiosité, le revenu, et l'état de santé furent utilisés dans ces analyses. Les résultats ne corroborent qu'en partie la théorie des échanges sociaux. Les contacts parents-enfants prédisent la satisfaction dans la vie, mais ne sont pas reliés au bonheur global. La religiosité prédit le bonheur global pour les pères et les mères, et la satisfaction pour les pères. Une bonne santé est associée à une plus grande satisfaction et au bonheur général, chez les pères comme chez les mères. Le revenu n'est relié à aucune mesure de bien-etre. Aucune des variables indépendantes ne peut prédire l'estime de soi chez les pères ou les mères.

Formats available

You can view the full content in the following formats:

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

cover image Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Volume 10Number 2September 1991
Pages: 31 - 46

History

Version of record online: 29 April 2009

Authors

Affiliations

Carol D. H. Harvey
University of Manitoba
John B. Bond, Jr.
University of Manitoba
Leonard J. Greenwood
University of Manitoba

Metrics & Citations

Metrics

Other Metrics

Citations

Cite As

Export Citations

If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.

There are no citations for this item

View Options

View options

PDF

View PDF

Login options

Check if you access through your login credentials or your institution to get full access on this article.

Subscribe

Click on the button below to subscribe to Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health

Purchase options

Purchase this article to get full access to it.

Restore your content access

Enter your email address to restore your content access:

Note: This functionality works only for purchases done as a guest. If you already have an account, log in to access the content to which you are entitled.

Media

Media

Other

Tables

Share Options

Share

Share the article link

Share on social media