Happiness in Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Study

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 3, 163 - 182, 31.12.2025

Nesrin Duman , Vildan Tezel , Enise Nur İnan , Şevval Cengiz

https://doi.org/10.51819/jaltc.2025.1811193

Abstract

This research is a happiness study conducted with older adults. The purpose of the research is to examine how 65+ individuals define happiness and how they experience moments of happiness. For this purpose, 32 participants (16 female and 16 male) over the age of 65 were selected using purposeful sampling and have been asked to explain the meaning of happiness in their own words and to photograph the happy moments. In the research, "Socio-Demographic Information Form" and "Photo Elicitation Method" have been used. The obtained quantitative data have been analyzed by an independent sample T-test and an ANOVA. Qualitative data have been analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. When the results were evaluated, participants took 250 photographs in total (7.81 ± 4.74). When the thematic features of the photographs were examined, it was seen that the participants took the most "emotional" themed pictures and the least "place" themed pictures. It has been determined that elements such as love for grandchildren, family, worship, devotion, and enjoyment stand out in emotional themes. In terms of place themes, nature, places of worship, and people's own gardens came to the fore. It has been found that the themes of the photographs taken did not show any significant differences based on gender, place of residence, and person living together. When the qualitative data of the study are examined, all participants expressed themselves as "happy," and it has been observed that they express themselves more easily in "activity" themes for the items that made them happy. The study is intended to be a resource for happiness research.

Keywords

Happiness , Older Adults , Photo-Elicitation , Well-Being , Active Aging , Life Satisfaction , Mixed-Methods Research

Ethical Statement

Research started after obtaining ethical approval from the İstanbul 29 Mayıs University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee on the date of 01.04.2024, under reference number 2024/04. Participants were informed about the research before the data was collected. Participation in the research was voluntary. The informed consent form was presented online, and in the second phase of the study, interviews were conducted with the participants face-to-face or via telephone.

Project Number

Not applicable.

Thanks

We would like to thank Sümeyye Tokşen, Ayşe Melek Cengiz and Ahmet Emre Özçelik for their support in finding participants for this study. We are grateful to all volunteers who participated in our study.

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