Measurement of Level of Hope among Institutional and Non-Institutional Elderly: A Comparative Study

Abstract

“Hope and its impact of people are widely discussed in the humanities and in the field of psychology. Hope is essential process of linking oneself to potential success” (Snyder, 1994,p. 18). Philosophers, scientist and poets and professional practitioners accepted that the hope is important force for life-sustaining (Farran, C. J., 1985).  

The primary aim of the study is examine the level of hope on among institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly in Dehradun. We recruited a voluntary sample of (n=180) elderly who were lived in Uttarakhand. Recruitment sources included who were lived in institution (old age home) and lived at home. Participants completed the questionnaire designed Adult Hope Scale (Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., et al., 1991) to measure hope. A greater sense of hope associated with better psychological wellbeing (e.g. increase life satisfaction, purpose of life, and positive affect). Those elderly who lived in institution (old age home) had low level of hope as compare to those elderly who non-institution (lived at home). Genders were found influential factor among institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly as their respective level of hope.