Psychological well-being in Mexico: contextual and psychological factors

Abstract

Paper presents theoretical analysis of psychological well-being in Mexico and different factors, providing its maintenance duing the aging process. Results from Mexican studies, conforming to main international trends, prove that psychological well-being increases with age. This paper considers contextual and psychological factors of well-being. Contextual factors are presented by the pension system, characteristics of social and familial interactions, losses associated with older age. Psychological factors, taken into consideration were gender issues, in particular the phenomenon of machismo, spirituality and religiousness, the role of personal autonomy and social capital, loneliness, as well as cognitive impairments and dementia. Theoretical analysis revealed that despite the economic situation in the country and the particular conditions of the pension system, material factors were not the only determinants of psychological well-being in aging. Refs 25.