Subjective well-being of geriatric patients during and after inpatient geriatric rehabilitation: a biopsychosocial prediction model.

PURPOSE

The study focused on indicators of subjective well-being (SWB) and how they developed during and after geriatric rehabilitation. Furthermore, a biopsychosocial prediction model for longer-term SWB was tested.

METHODS

Patients of an inpatient geriatric rehabilitation unit were assessed at admission, discharge and a three-month follow-up. Indicators of SWB comprised affect, life satisfaction, valuation of life and autonomy. Further, biomedical and psychosocial variables assessed upon admission were used to predict SWB at follow-up. Statistical analysis included repeated-measures (M)ANOVA depicting SWB development over time with Cohen's d for effect size, along with canonical correlation analyses used to test the biopsychosocial prediction model.

RESULTS

78 out of 122 patients were assessed three times. Across all measurement points, different change patterns among SWB indicators were detected: Positive affect was significantly higher at follow-up than at admission (mean difference (MD) = .28, p < .01, Cohen's d = .37). Negative affect declined during rehabilitation (MD = - .29, p < .01, Cohen's d = .40) but increased again until follow-up (MD = .31, p < .01, Cohen's d = .42). Life satisfaction and valuation of life showed no change over time, while experience of autonomy gradually worsened from admission until follow-up (MD = - .29, p < .05, Cohen's d  = .32). The biopsychosocial model revealed that personality traits and control beliefs best predicted SWB at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Although geriatric rehabilitation has a positive effect on affect, it does not consistently improve other SWB indicators. Moreover, paying attention to psychological parameters such as personality in the daily geriatric routine could help to identify patients for whom longer-term SWB is particularly at risk.