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Developing well-being as one grows older

Lars Bauger at the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences has submitted his thesis entitled “Developing well-being as one grows older: A mixed method study”, and will defend the thesis for the PhD-degree Thursday 9 January 2020.

The overall aim of this thesis was to explore the experience of well-being as recently retired, what factors contribute to well-being in the third age (the “young old”), and how the promotion of well-being in the third age could benefit from a psychological developmental perspective.

Lars Bauger

PhD Candidate and Assistant Professor

Lars Bauger at the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences has submitted his thesis entitled Developing well-being as one grows older: A mixed method study”, and will defend the thesis for the PhD-degree Thursday 9 January 2020.

He has followed the PhD Programme at the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences.

Summary of the thesis by Lars Bauger:

Developing well-being as one grows older: A mixed method study

The overall aim of this thesis was to explore the experience of well-being as recently retired, what factors contribute to well-being in the third age (the “young old”), and how the promotion of well-being in the third age could benefit from a psychological developmental perspective.

This has been investigated through three scientific papers: one theoretical and two empirical papers.

In the theoretical paper, we explored different conceptualizations of growing older, and argued that the third age (defined by retirement and having good health with few limitations) could be a particularly fruitful period for health promotion initiatives aiming to increase well-being. In this approach we proposed the developmental perspective of Robert Kegan as a valuable resource.

In the qualitative study, we explored recently retired individuals experience of well-being, which consisted of a rich story containing aspects of: (1) a gratitude of having a healthy and functioning body, (2) a new experience of time that gave opportunities for action, (3) an increasing feeling of autonomy, and (4) a feeling of being in place in relationships.

In the quantitative study we found support for the psychological developmental perspective as a significant predictor of well-being, but that this factor was not particularly important for those in the third age compared to younger adults (which was one of our hypotheses).

These findings support previous research on both well-being and the third age, as well as providing new perspectives that have not previously been considered as associated with, or considered as constituents of, well-being.

 

Disputation facts:

The Candidate: Lars Bauger (1985 - Hønefoss) has a Masters degree i Psychology from the University inTromsø (2011). He is now employed as an Assiatant Professor at the Department of Health, Social and Welfare Studies at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

The trial lecture and the public defence will take place at Auditorium C2 040, Campus Grimstad Thursday 9 Januar 2020.

Head of the Department of Health and Nursing Science, Professor Mariann Fossum, will chair the disputation.

Trial lecture at 10:15 a.m.

Public defense at 12:30 p.m.

Given topic for trial lecture:: «The complexities of the retirement process and the challenges of researching the impact of retirement on well-being»

Thesis Title: Developing well-being as one grows older: A mixed method study”

Search for the thesis in AURA - Agder University Research Archive, a digital archive of scientific papers, theses and dissertations from the academic staff and students at the University of Agder. The thesis will also be available at the University Library, and some copies will also be available for loan at the auditorium where the disputation takes place.

Opponents:

First opponent: Psychologist, PhD Oliver Robinson, University of Greenwich, UK

Second opponent: Senior researcher, PhD Ragnhild Bang Nes,  Norwegian Institute of Public Health and Associate Professor II at the Department of Psychology, University of Oslo

Professor Bjørn Tore Johansen, University of Agder, is appointed as the administrator for the assessment commitee.

Supervisors were Professor Rob Bongaardt, University of South-Eastern Norway (main supervisor) and Professor Elling Bere, University of Agder (co-supervisor)