Protective Factors Mitigating Health in Middle Age

The study undertook a rare challenge of exploring the protective factors in middle adulthood as most research in this area looks at these factors in the context of the young or the elderly population. The study was armed at exploring the relationship between optimism, health, coping and social support. A sample of hundred middle-aged participants (51 women and 49 men) were surveyed using the General Health Questionnaire (Goldberg&Williams, 1978), Life Orientation Test (Carver&Scheier, 1994), Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman&Lazarus, 1985) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet, et al, 1988). The results indicated that people with a more optimistic outlook enjoyed better social support and utilized more adaptive coping strategies. There were no gender differences in optimism, social support and general health, although men manifested a tendency to use more escape avoidance and positive reappraisal. Teachers tended to have poorer health outcomes and used more avoidant coping strategies. In the model predicting health, planful problem solving emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by optimism, escape avoidance and social support from a significant other. The study reinforces the value of adaptive coping strategies for the health and wellbeing of individuals under stress. It also highlights the role of personal and social resources like optimism and social support, respectively, in fostering resilience in the face of the stressors of life.