Hope in the Elderly: Exploring the Relationship Between Psychosocial Developmental Residual and Hope

Abstract

Hope has been postulated to be a motivational life force associated with psychosocial developmental residual from early stages of life (Erikson, 1963). This study explored the relationship between psychosocial developmental residual and hope, in order to test a mid-range theoretical model of hope. The hope model was retroductively derived from Modeling and Role-Modeling theory (Erickson, Tomlin, & Swain, 1988) and previous qualitative research (Dufault & Martocchio, 1985).

A correlational research design, with a qualitative component, was used to test the model. For the quantitative part of the study, 90 elderly subjects were selected from two community-based congregate housing units in a small, rural midwestern city. Twenty-two of these subjects were also interviewed, with eight of the interviews purposively selected for the qualitative component of the study.

Psychosocial developmental residual was measured using the Modified Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory. The Nowotny Hope Scale was reconceptualized to measure two types of hope: generalized and particularized; which together measured the overall construct of hope.

Empirical findings indicated that subjects' overall developmental residual scores were significantly associated with their overall hope scores (r = 0.58, p =.00). Hierarchical regression analysis (based on sequentially entering residual from the eight developmental stages) found that 40% of the variance in subjects' overall hope scores was predicted by the eight developmental variables, with 22% of the variance being accounted for by residual from the first two developmental stages. Linear regression analysis discovered that trust-mistrust residual significantly predicted generalized hope (r =.235, p =.03), and autonomy-shame residual significantly predicted particularized hope (r =.567, p =.00).

Content analysis of the qualitative data delineated factors that promoted and diminished subjects' hope during difficult times, and identified subjects' attitudes toward the future. Triangulation of the findings indicated that the qualitative data supported the empirical results.

The findings provided evidence of support for the mid-range theoretical model of hope proposed in the study, and have implications for nursing practice, education, and research.