A Proposed Framework for Psychological Well-Being Based on the Spiritual Intelligence Dimensions in the Elderly

Background and Objectives: Aging is a sensitive period in human life. The present study aimed to provide a framework for psychological well-being based on the spiritual intelligence dimensions in the elderly. Methods: The present research was a descriptive correlational study. The study population consisted of the elderly living in the retirement homes of Ahvaz, Iran, in 2019. A total of 320 individuals were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using King’s (2009) Spiritual Intelligence Questionnaire and Ryff’s (2002) Psychological Well-being Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the structural equation. Results: As evidenced by the obtained results, psychological well-being of the elderly showed a significant positive relationship with the subscales of critical existential thinking (r=0.34, P=0.001), personal meaning (r=0.41, P=0.001), transcendental awareness (r=0.38 and P=0.001), conscious state expansion (r=0.48, P=0.001) and the overall score of spiritual intelligence (r=0.62, P=0.001). In addition, it was observed that spiritual intelligence had a significant direct impact on psychological well-being (β=0.669) and the predictive power of psychological well-being was obtained by spiritual intelligence (R2=0.508). Conclusion: The obtained results indicated the importance of the relationship between spiritual intelligence and psychological well-being in the elderly. Therefore, in order to improve the elderlys’ psychological well-being, it is essential to focus on promoting spiritual intelligence.