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Clinical Psychology and Special Education
2025. Vol. 14, no. 3, 86–99
doi:10.17759/cpse.2025140306
ISSN: 2304-0394 (online)

Gerontranscendence and personality characteristics as a mechanism of the positive functioning in aging

 
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Abstract

Context and relevance. Maintaining psychological well-being and quality of life of the older generation is one of the key challenges for modern society and science. In this regard, one of the key areas is the study of psychological mechanisms that allow a comprehensive assessment of the positive functioning of an elderly person. The work is aimed at studying the mechanisms of gerotranscendence in the context of personal characteristics. Objective. The aim of the study was to investigate whether competence in environmental mastery acts as a predictor of gerotranscendental changes and whether such personal characteristics as faith in human capabilities and focus on knowledge and development participate in this structure. Hypothesis. We hypothesized that one’s competence in managing the environment could be a predictor of gerotranscendental changes in the social perspective. Methods and materials. The study involved 154 adults and elderly people aged 50–89 years (M = 67.35; SD = 8.46), 74.7% women. Research methods: Questionnaire of Gerotranscendental Changes (GTC), Scale of Psychological Well-Being by C. Ryff, questionnaire for self-actualization of the personality SAMOAL. Results. As a result of modeling with regression equations and mediation analysis, we obtained a cyclical scheme allowing us to assume a mechanism of the relationship of the components of gerotranscendence, with a potential “trigger” — the parameter “environmental mastery”, the influence of which on the social dimension is mediated by the need for knowledge. The social dimension acts as a predictor of the development of the personal dimension, which in turn enhances the development of the worldview dimension. Conclusions. The model we have obtained allows us to assume a spiral nature of the development of gerotranscendence during lifespan.

General Information

Keywords: gerotranscendence, psychology of aging, positive functioning, environmental mastery, self-actualization, psychological well-being

Journal rubric: Empirical Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2025140306

Received 17.01.2025

Revised 21.05.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Strizhitskaya, O.Y., Safina, R.T. (2025). Gerontranscendence and personality characteristics as a mechanism of the positive functioning in aging. Clinical Psychology and Special Education, 14(3), 86–99. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/cpse.2025140306

© Strizhitskaya O.Y., Safina R.T., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Olga Y. Strizhitskaya, Doctor of Psychology, Professor, Head of the Department of Developmental Psychology and Differential Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Saint-Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7141-162X, e-mail: o.strizhitskaya@spbu.ru

Renata T. Safina, Student, Saint Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1407-8129, e-mail: safinarenata18@gmail.com

Contribution of the authors

Olga Yu. Strizhitskaya — ideas; annotation, writing and design of the manuscript; planning of the research; control over the research.

Renata T. Safina — writing and design of the manuscript; visualization of research results.

Both authors participated in the discussion of the results and approved the final text of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethics statement

The research design, procedures, measures and sampling were approved by the review board of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No. 16-06-00086). Informed consent was obtained from all the participants and the Helsinki declaration was respected.

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