Thesis Type: Postgraduate
Institution Of The Thesis: Middle East Technical University, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Turkey
Approval Date: 2019
Thesis Language: English
Student: DOLUNAY CEMRE DURMUŞ
Supervisor: Özlem Bozo Özen
Abstract: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.