Longitudinal Associations Between Fatalism Dimensions and Different Areas of Health and Well-Being

TL;DR

This study finds that believing in fate can help reduce depression in older adults over time.

Contribution

The study adds nuance to the fatalism-aging literature by showing the protective role of ineluctable destiny.

Findings

Belief in fate (ineluctable destiny) predicted lower depression over six months.

Depression did not predict fatalism dimensions, and other fatalism dimensions had no effect on health outcomes.

The results suggest that certain fatalistic beliefs may have positive implications for mental health in older adults.

Abstract

Previous research overall suggested that fatalism, closely related to external locus of control, had negative health implications. However, as older adults tend to have more uncontrollable experiences, fatalism may serve as a protective factor. For example, our previous cross-sectional research for older adults indicated that the fatalism dimension of ineluctable destiny (i.e., beliefs in fate) was associated with lower depression after controlling for helplessness as another fatalism dimension. The present study examined longitudinal associations between fatalism dimensions and different areas of health and well-being to address their directionality. Among 476 participants aged 65 + (M = 70.0, SD = 4.4; 62% female) recruited via an online crowdsourcing platform (Prolific) and included in our previous research (at Time 1 [T1]), 396 completed our six-month follow-up study (at Time 2 [T2]). We analyzed a path analysis model addressing both directions of associations: from five T1 fatalism dimensions to T2 depression, physical functioning, and purpose in life; and from T1 health/well-being measures to T2 fatalism dimensions. For each T2 outcome, its T1/baseline levels and other covariates were controlled for. The results showed good model fit indices with a robust maximum likelihood estimation; ineluctable destiny predicted lower depression over time, while depression did not predict ineluctable destiny and none of the other fatalism dimensions predicted any health/well-being outcomes. These longitudinal findings highlight the positive implications of beliefs in fate for (lower) depression. The present study contributes by adding nuance to the fatalism-aging literature and suggests future research directions (e.g., intervention studies increasing certain fatalistic beliefs).