BACKGROUND Although several biopsychosocial variables could play an important role as risk and protective factors of mental health, COVID-19 outbreak studies among older people have seldom focused on protective factors. The purpose of this study was to analyze how older adults' personal strengths predict their well-being and emotional distress. METHOD 783 Spanish people aged 60 and over completed a survey that included sociodemographic characteristics, perceived health, direct or indirect infection by COVID-19, resilience, gratitude, experiential avoidance, family functioning, emotional distress and well-being. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was performed. SEM invariance was also used to analyze whether there were differences between older people affected by COVID-19 and those not affected. RESULTS The best model supports the mediation effect of resilience, gratitude and experiential avoidance on older people's well-being and emotional distress. Whether participants or relatives had been infected by the virus or not did not affect the results. CONCLUSIONS Variables used as criteria in older adults are related to well-being and emotional distress, but only indirectly and mediated by resilience, gratitude and experiential avoidance. This confirms the importance of considering psychological strengths in older people's well-being. Interventions focused on these personal resources should be considered.

中文翻译：

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在第一波 COVID-19 大流行期间老年人的个人优势。

背景 尽管一些生物心理社会变量可以作为心理健康的风险和保护因素发挥重要作用，但针对老年人的 COVID-19 暴发研究很少关注保护因素。本研究的目的是分析老年人的个人优势如何预测他们的幸福感和情绪困扰。方法 783 名 60 岁及以上的西班牙人完成了一项调查，其中包括社会人口学特征、感知健康、直接或间接感染 COVID-19、适应力、感恩、经验回避、家庭功能、情绪困扰和幸福。进行了结构方程建模（SEM）。SEM 不变性还用于分析受 COVID-19 影响的老年人与未受影响的老年人之间是否存在差异。结果 最佳模型支持韧性、感恩和经验性回避对老年人幸福感和情绪困扰的中介作用。参与者或亲属是否被病毒感染并不会影响结果。结论 在老年人中用作标准的变量与幸福感和情绪困扰有关，但只是间接和通过弹性、感恩和经验回避进行中介。这证实了考虑老年人幸福感的心理优势的重要性。应考虑对这些个人资源进行干预。结论 在老年人中用作标准的变量与幸福感和情绪困扰有关，但只是间接和通过弹性、感恩和经验性回避进行中介。这证实了考虑老年人幸福感的心理优势的重要性。应考虑对这些个人资源进行干预。结论 在老年人中用作标准的变量与幸福感和情绪困扰有关，但只是间接和通过弹性、感恩和经验性回避进行中介。这证实了考虑老年人幸福感的心理优势的重要性。应考虑对这些个人资源进行干预。