Opinion Article - Journal of Mental Health and Aging (2023) Volume 7, Issue 3

Understanding the psychology of aging: A primer on geropsychology.

Division of Environmental Health and Land-based Healing, IWRI, University of Washington, School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, United States

*Corresponding Author:

Wang Borovsky
Division of Environmental Health and Land-based Healing
IWRI, University of Washington
School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, United States
E-mail: borovskyWa@scha.ac.com

Received: 20-Apr-2023, Manuscript No. Aajmha-23-96477; Editor assigned: 24-Apr-2023, Pre QC No. Aajmha-23-96477 (PQ); Reviewed: 08-May-2023, QC No. Aajmha-23-96477; Revised: 11-May-2023, Manuscript No. Aajmha-23-96477 (R); Published: 18-May -2023, DOI: 10.35841/aajmha-7.3.143

Citation: Borovsky W. Understanding the psychology of aging: A primer on geropsychology. J Ment Health Aging. 2023;7(2):143

Introduction

Differences between women and men in terms of gender gaps at late stages of their lives are the focus of this mini-review. We approach the matter by taking up the position of complex yet promising standpoints, the bio-psycho-social perspective on the one hand and approaches of developmental psychology on the other. Lifespan perspectives and the brain-behavior relationship are integrated and applied to geropsychological models. Research on gender differences is presented and examined, particularly regarding physiological and psychological differences between aging men and women; additionally, gender discrepancies in psychopathology are discussed. Prevailing concepts of ‘active aging’ are introduced and their implications for the review of divergent gender differences are considered [1].

This article characterizes the human aging process from the perspectives of normal, pathological, usual, successful, and positive aging. Positive aging is described based on four characteristics: the mobilizing of latent resources, psychological flexibility, an affirmative decision-making style, and the propensity to generate an optimistic response to stressors inherent in age-related decline. A positive aging strategy framework is proposed, inclusive of recent developments in intervention research employing gratitude, forgiveness, and altruism to preserve subjective well-being. The role of positive aging strategies in conjunction with behavioral intervention approaches to promote well-being in one's later years is recommended for addressing the complex needs of our graying population [2].

Geropsychology (also known as gerontopsychology, psychology of aging, or psychological gerontology) is still rather young compared to other subfields such as differential, social, organizational, and clinical psychology. Yet, it is already so well developed, distinct, and relevant that it deserves a chapter of its own in this International Handbook on Psychology Learning and Teaching. Its subject area is large enough and well definable. So, there is a consensus between both Anglo-American (Society in Clinical Geropsychology) as well as European geropsychological organizations (Standing Committee on GeroPsychology by the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) that geropsychology addresses mental and behavioral phenomena of aging (as a change process), of older people (as a certain age group), and of old age (as a late stage of life) in research, applied fields, and The section on core contents of geropsychology later in this chapter will mention concrete topics more in detail. The tasks of the discipline are clear. As a subfield of psychology, geropsychology, like its parent discipline, aims at describing, explaining, and optimizing the phenomena that fall within its purview. Today, geropsychology has a strong research and a strong practice branch as indicated by several criteria [3].

Numerous psychological university departments in the USA, Europe, Australia, and other parts of the world host specialized institutes or professorships for geropsychology often associated with or part of the institutes for lifespan developmental psychology which have provided and further provide important contributions to geropsychological research. In addition, there are geropsychology research groups at non-university research institutes and further gerontological journals that regularly publish articles with geropsychological research results. Multi-volume encyclopedias and handbooks further document the breadth and depth of the geropsychological knowledge that has been accumulated so far Additional relevant sources are mentioned in the annotated references to further reading near the end of this chapter. Finally, the existence of specific scientific and/ or professional organizations in various parts of the world makes a strong case for geropsychology as a developed discipline. For instance, in the USA, this is the Society in Clinical Geropsychology [4, 5].

Conclusion

Overall, "The Psychology of Aging" provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of geropsychology and offers insights into the challenges and opportunities of aging from a psychological perspective. The aim of this study is to investigate teachers’ experiences of PPIs in relation to their wellbeing in professional and personal life, what barriers they encountered and how they responded to challenges The findings are presented with discussions in the following sections and are representative of teachers’ experienced benefits, challenges and plans for sustainable actions in relation to their wellbeing in work and personal life contexts.

References

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