Daily life activities as mediators of the relationship between personality variables and subjective well-being among older adults

The purpose of the present study was to examine the mediational role of participation in daily life activities on the relationship between personality variables, such as self-esteem and optimism, and subjective well-being in Spanish older adults. Two hundred and fifty people (150 retirees and 100 workers) from late adulthood to old age were interviewed to complete the Rosenberg Scale, the Optimism Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, the satisfaction with life scale and their frequency of participation in daily life activities (social activities, mass communication use, building knowledge, home activities and hobbies, creative activities, activities outside home, community service activities and games). Results from mediational analyses revealed that social activities partially mediated the relationship between personality variables – self-esteem and optimism – and subjective well-being. Implications of these findings for future research on subjective well-being and the role of participation in daily life activities in old age are discussed.