Feeling Needed: Effects of A Randomized Generativity Intervention on Well-Being and Inflammation in Older Women

Publication date: Available online 20 November 2019Source: Brain, Behavior, and ImmunityAuthor(s): Mona Moieni, Michael R. Irwin, Teresa E. Seeman, Theodore F. Robles, Matthew D. Lieberman, Elizabeth C. Breen, Stephanie Okimoto, Clara Lengacher, Jesusa M. G. Arevalo, Richard Olmstead, Steven W. Cole, Naomi I. EisenbergerAbstractGenerativity, or concern for and contribution to the well-being of younger generations, plays an important role in successful aging. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel, writing-based intervention to increase feelings of generativity and test the effect of this intervention on well-being and inflammation in a sample of older women. Participants in this study (n=73; mean age = 70.9 years, range 60-86 years) were randomly assigned to a 6-week generativity writing condition (writing about life experiences and sharing advice with others) or a control writing condition (neutral, descriptive writing). Self-reported measures of social well-being, mental health, and physical health, as well as objective measures of systemic and cellular levels of inflammation (plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α; genome-wide RNA transcriptional profiling), were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The generativity intervention led to significant improvements across multiple domains, including increases in participation in social activities, decreases in psychological distress, more positive expectations regarding aging in t...
Source: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Category: Neurology Source Type: research