The relationship of adherence to aging traditions and life satisfaction among Chinese elders

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study explores the relationship between adherence to Chinese traditions and life satisfaction among the older adults in China. METHODS: Face-to-face interview were administered to 1,502 randomly selected older Chinese in three newly-developed towns near Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The questionnaire included the Chinese Tradition Scale and the Life Satisfaction Scale-Chinese. Both scales were validated with good reliabilities. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analysis showed that adherence to tradition was a significant predictor of life satisfaction (F-change = 14.25, p< .001) after controlling for gender, marital status, living arrangement, self-rated heath, and financial adequacy. CONCLUSION: Life satisfaction is the subjective appraisal of one’s life. This appraisal can be filtered through the lens of cultural values, attitudes, and beliefs. Since adherence to Chinese traditions determines life satisfaction for the Chinese older adults, practitioners should take this into consideration when they work with Chinese elders.