The Value of Contemplative Practices: A Mixed Methods Approach Exploring Associations between Resilience and Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Older Adults
Grace Achepohl, Catherine A Heaney, Lisa Goldman Rosas, Jessie L. Moore, Tia Rich, Sandra J. Winter
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health August 17, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610224 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Sequential explanatory mixed methods study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | English-speaking adults aged 60 and above during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key points | The authors report that older adults categorized as highly resilient had long held contemplative practices that helped them effectively adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. They argue that care and interventions should be redefined to incorporate contemplative practices and promote healthy aging. |
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the association between resilience and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults. We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods study design to recruit older adults who spoke English and were 60 and above during the pandemic. Survey data investigated older adults' resilience, post-traumatic growth, well-being, and demographics. Extreme case purposeful sampling of their resilience score was used to select interviewees. Qualitative data sought to understand the relationship between resilience and how older adults responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploring the relationship between resilience (well-being in the face of challenge) and one's experience of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that participants categorized as having high resilience had long held behaviors of contemplative practices that helped them effectively adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we continue to face global challenges, we must redefine care, guide interventions, and promote healthy aging by incorporating contemplative practices into the lives of older adults.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Consciousness, mindfulness, and introspection: integrating first- and second-person phenomenological inquiry with experimental and EEG data to study the mind. Frontiers in Psychology September 8, 2025
- Contemplative Training for Mindful Aging: Insights from a Study of Participants’ Experiences in a Mind–Body Training Course Canadian Journal on Aging January 21, 2026
- A sense of connectedness, transcendent experiences, and insights for compassionate action emerge through an international collective labyrinth walk with a shared intention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- Contemplative Practices Behavior Is Positively Associated with Well-Being in Three Global Multi-Regional Stanford WELL for Life Cohorts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health October 18, 2022
Cites 14
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Mindfulness-induced selflessness: a MEG neurophenomenological study. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
- Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic: Contemplative practice behaviors are associated with better mental health outcomes and compliance with shelter-in-place orders in a prospective cohort study. Preventive Medicine Reports September 1, 2021
and 9 more in the library