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Associations between migration experience and perceived mental health in optimal ageing: Evidence from the Sardinian Blue Zone
Author(s) -
Fastame Maria Chiara,
Mulas Ilaria,
Ruiu Marilena
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
international journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1464-066X
pISSN - 0020-7594
DOI - 10.1002/ijop.12810
Subject(s) - psychology , ageing , mental health , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine
The effect of migration on perceived mental health has not been examined in older migrants after their return to their places of origin. This study was mainly aimed at evaluating the perceived mental health of older people who experienced migration and permanent resident peers living in the Sardinian Blue Zone (i.e. one of the four areas of exceptional longevity in the world). Forty‐eight community‐based older participants (32 males and 16 females) with and without a migration experience were recruited in two villages of the Sardinian Blue Zone and completed a battery of self‐report inventories assessing psychological well‐being, negative mood, and ego resilience. Older individuals who experienced migration reported higher ego resilience and exhibited greater resources used to manage positive emotionality (i.e. openness to life experiences). Moreover, compared to the normative data, both the groups reported higher psychological well‐being and fewer depressive symptoms. Finally, no significant associations were found between the length of migration and each mental health index. In conclusion, resilience seems to represent a psychological trait that helps to manage stressful events and contributes to the preservation of perceived mental health in late adulthood.