Thought suppression and meaning in life: a longitudinal investigation

Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2007;64(1):67-82. doi: 10.2190/2044-390U-7106-5610.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to see if older adults who experience problems with thought suppression tend to encounter greater difficulty deriving a sense of meaning in life. Data from a longitudinal nationwide survey of older people (N=988) indicate that greater difficulty with thought suppression is associated with a decline in meaning over time. However, the findings further reveal that the relationship between thought suppression and meaning is nonlinear. More specifically, the results suggest that a sense of meaning in life declines at an accelerating rate across progressively higher levels of difficulty with thought suppression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living / psychology*
  • Aged
  • Aging / psychology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health*
  • Motivation*
  • Quality of Life / psychology*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Surveys and Questionnaires