A Study of Interpersonal Intimacy and Meaning of Life Among Elderly Institutionalized Veterans

機構內老年榮民人際親密和生命意義之研究

10.1097/jnr.0000000000000130

牛貞君(Chen-Chun Niu)；黃惠滿(Hui-Man Huang)；洪芸櫻(Yun-Ying Hung)；李秀麗(Hsiu-Li Lee)

老年榮民 ； 人際親密 ； 生命意義 ； 榮民之家 ； senior veterans ； interpersonal intimacy ； meaning of life ； veterans' homes

The Journal of Nursing Research

24卷4期（2016 / 12 / 01）

311 - 320

英文

背景 臺灣機構內的老年榮民大多為單身，與他人之人際親密關係程度較低；隨著年紀增長和疾病的纏身，老年榮民對生命意義常感懷疑，對生存價值亦可能喪失信心。目的 探討機構內老年榮民之基本屬性、人際親密、生命意義及其相互關係。方法 採橫斷式相關性研究設計，以方便取樣方式選取120位機構內老年男性榮民參與本研究，以個人基本屬性問卷、人際親密量表、及生命意義量表三份問卷收集資料。結果 本研究發現機構內老年榮民：(1)不同就養方式、不同居住機構、是否有宗教信仰、是否與親友、退輔會人員接觸在人際親密感受上有顯著差異；教育程度、自覺健康狀況與人際親密感受達顯著正相關，住養時間與人際親密呈顯著負相關。(2)是否有親友關係在生命意義上有顯著差異；教育程度、自覺健康狀況與生命意義達顯著正相關，住養時間與生命意義呈顯著負相關。(3)人際親密感受和人際親密四個層面與生命意義達顯著正相關。結論／實務應用 研究結果提供退輔會專業人員和管理者照護老年榮民之參考，建議可提供治療方案以增進老年榮民之人際親密感受和生命意義，進而協助老年榮民更正向積極地面對老年生活。

Background: Most senior veterans who live in veterans' homes in Taiwan are single and have few intimate, interpersonal relationships. Aging is often accompanied by solitude and illness, which causes senior veterans to doubt the meaning of life and to lose confidence in the value of life. Purpose: This study investigated the personal characteristics that influence interpersonal intimacy and the meaning of life as well as the relationship between interpersonal intimacy and the meaning of life among senior veterans living in veterans' homes. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used, and 120 senior male veterans were convenience sampled from three veterans' homes in southern Taiwan. Three structured questionnaires were used in this study: personal characteristics questionnaire, interpersonal intimacy scale, and purpose in life test. Results: (a) Interpersonal intimacy was influenced by source of income or funds, type of residence institution, religious affiliation, and the quality of the participant's relationships with family, friends, and fellow residents. Educational level and self-perceived health status correlated positively with interpersonal intimacy, and period of residence correlated negatively with interpersonal intimacy. (b) Meaning of life was influenced by the quality of relationships with family and friends. Educational level and self-perceived health status correlated significantly and positively with meaning of life, and period of residence correlated negatively with meaning of life. (c) Significant, positive correlations were found among interpersonal intimacy, the four domains of interpersonal intimacy, and meaning of life. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Health professionals involved in the care of senior veterans in institutions may use the results of this study to develop and implement interventions that promote a higher degree of interpersonal intimacy and a higher appreciation of the meaning of life, thus enabling senior veterans to confront old age in a more positive manner.

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1. I-Chuan LI,Chaw-Mew HUNG(2022).Factors Related to Meaning in Life Among Residents of Long-Term Care Institutions.The Journal of Nursing Research,30(3),1-8.