The Successful Aging: The Role of Life Style, Spiritual Intelligence and Self-Efficacy

Considering that the population aging process has started in Iran, it is obvious that identifying the health status of the elderly and the factors affecting successful aging is the first step to improve their health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to predict successful aging based on lifestyle, spiritual intelligence and self-efficacy. This was a descriptive-correlational research in terms of its method and a basic research in terms of its purpose. The statistical population of this study was consisted of all the elderly living in nursing homes of Tehran, Iran in 2021, the number of whom was estimated to be about 1100 people. The statistical sample was 285 people were selected using cluster sampling method and finally from the collected questionnaires 200 completed questionnaires were analyzed. Zanjari et al.’s Successful aging, King’s spiritual intelligence and Sherer and Maddux’s self-efficacy questionnaires were used to collect information in this study. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were used for the data to be analyzed in SPSS-24 software. The result of Pearson’s correlation coefficient indicated that there is significant positive correlation between lifestyle and successful aging (r=0.67), self-efficacy and successful aging (r=0.40), as well as spiritual intelligence and successful aging (r=0.21) and among the component of spiritual intelligence, personal meaning had the highest correlation with successful aging (r=0.67). Moreover, the results of multiple regression analysis indicated that 54% of the changes in successful aging can be interpreted by the predictor variables (P<0.01). According to the results, steps can be taken to improve successful aging through modifying life style, and improving the level of spiritual intelligence and self-efficacy. In conclusion, the elderly should not consider the features and characteristics of aging as their personal weakness, and make changes in their life style by finding a suitable life style for this period, increasing their self–efficacy and improving their spiritual intelligence.
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