EFFECT OF ACCEPTING THE PAST ON FINDING A MEANING IN LIFE AMONG TURKISH OLD AGE INDIVIDUALS; MODERATING ROLE OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2019

Tezin Dili: İngilizce

Öğrenci: DOLUNAY CEMRE DURMUŞ

Danışman: Özlem Bozo Özen

Özet:

The aim of the present master's thesis was to investigate the association between accepting the past and meaning in life, as well as the moderating role of perceived social support in this association among Turkish old age population. Data were collected from 164 individuals aged between 65 and 91. The results of the study indicated that total score of accepting the past was positively correlated with presence of meaning and negatively correlated with search for meaning. Positive representation of accepting the past was positively correlated with both presence of meaning and search for meaning. Accepting the past was also found to be positively correlated with global perceived social support and its three dimensions. Dimensions of meaning in life, presence of meaning and search for meaning, were found to be positively correlated with each other. The findings of the moderation analyses revealed that only perceived family support moderated the association between total score of accepting the past and search for meaning, as well as the association between positive representation of accepting the past and search for meaning. Findings regarding the moderation analyses did not support the moderator role of perceived social support and its dimensions in the association between accepting the past and presence of meaning. The findings of the study were discussed in the light of the literature. Strengths, limitations, personal experiences of the researcher, and possible clinical implications of the current study were presented.