Hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in old age through positive psychology studies: a scoping review

• Main Author: Araújo, Lia
• Publication Date: 2017
• Other Authors: Ribeiro, Oscar, Paúl, Constança
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.19/4638
• topic: Positive Psychology; Aging; hedonism; eudaimonia; well-being; scoping review; Psicología positiva; bienestar; envejecimiento; hedonismo; Eudaimonia; Revisión del alcance

The study of aging through the lens of Positive Psychology al- lows looking beyond the decline normally associated with advancing of age and to consider rewarding experiences and strategies to promote a mean- ingful aging. In order to gather evidence on the key conceptual and empiri- cal advancements that illustrate the commitment of Positive Psychology with aging issues a scoping review was conducted. Papers having “Positive Psychology” AND “Aging” (or similar words to aging) on their title, ab- stract or key-words were screened across main databases and aging related terms were searched in well-known journals of positive psychology. This strategy yielded 48 articles, 33 original scientific papers and 15 reviews. Main themes, study designs and instruments are presented and the end- points are discussed according to the hedonic or eudaimonic perspective of the studies. Future directions related with the importance of comprehen- sive constructs and method approaches in the study of advancing age are highlighted.