Cognitive coping strategies and Subjective happiness in a sample of Spanish elderly women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the main strategies of cognitive-emotional regulation uses a sample of Spanish elderly women, and the predictive ability of these strategies on happiness. To do this, participants completed the Short Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and Happiness Subjective Scale (SHS). The results showed that elderly women used mainly positive regulation strategies. Mainly, use planning, positive reappraisal, and perspective taking. Furthermore, the results indicate that catastrophizing and positive reappraisal predict higher levels of happiness in the sample of elderly women. Our findings suggest that the use of positive regulation strategies is a good way to cope with stressful events, which could be considered in future intervention programs with this group.