Learning projects and their background motivations: Relationships with mental health in midlife and later life

Abstract

Human development is a life-long, complex process accompanied by gains and losses. Among the difficulties of adult development, midlife calls for special attention, for, during the long transition from youth to old age, one has to face several losses, and, as a result of that, the special psychological tasks of accommodating to new circumstances. The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between projects - especially projects concerning learning - and indicators of psychological and physical health in midlife and later life. We hypothesised that individuals who are experiencing crises in the second half of their lives would be more open towards educational programmes on physical and mental health. We also expected that individuals with intrinsic goal motivation would be more motivated for self-developing learning, and that intrapersonal goals would be connected with a greater openness to training programmes on mental health. The sample consisted of 585 people (M = 50.6, SD = 8.5). For further analysis the sample was divided into six age groups on the basis of Levinson's classification. The results confirmed that the middle-age and the old-age generations are open to educational programs that develop self-directing functions. Contrarily to our hypothesis, it is not a crisis linked with decreased physical and mental health that makes one open to such programmes, but good physical health and new life situations presented by stressful life events. Besides, the need to participate in educational programmes aimed at self-development is stronger in the case of individuals whose motivational system is dominated by intrinsic goals (goals related to basic psychological needs). © 2013 Semmelweis University Institute of Mental Health, Budapest.