Graduation Date
5-2018
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Department or Program
Occupational Therapy
Department or Program Chair
Julia Wilbarger PhD, OTR/L
First Reader
Susan Morris, PhD, OTR/L
Second Reader
Susan LeBlanc MS, OTR/L
Abstract
Evidence suggests resilience promotes successful aging in place and protective factors promote resilience. This study sought to investigate whether or not the combination of three protective factors, physical health, social support, and self-efficacy are all of equal importance in predicting resilience among Marin County older adults, or if some individual protective factors have a greater impact on resilience than the others. Fifty-eight participants ages 62 and higher were recruited from senior community programs and personal contacts. Four self-report questionnaires were completed by the participants in this exploratory, cross-sectional, quantitative design. SPSS was used for a descriptive and multivariate analyses to investigate the relationship between the key variables. Of the three protective factors combined, self-efficacy was the greatest predictor of resilience R2 = .279, F(3,48) = 6.207, p < .01; B = 1.735, β = .495, p < .01. The remaining protective factors both were found to predict self-efficacy, physical health (R2 = .312, F(2,51) = 11.55, p < .001; B= .588, β = .356, p < .01) and social support (R2 = .312, F(2,51) = 11.5, p < .001; B= .756, β = .317, p < .05). In conclusion, self-efficacy is an important predictor of resilience in older adults. Social support and physical health support self-efficacy. Incorporation of physical activity and social participation during occupational therapy intervention will increase self-efficacy, and therefore, increase resilience.