Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Mar;27(3):453-465.
doi: 10.1080/13607863.2022.2036948. Epub 2022 Feb 15.

Psychological flexibility in older adulthood: a scoping review

Evan Plys  1 , M Lindsey Jacobs  2   3 , Rebecca S Allen  3   4 , Joanna J Arch  5   6
Affiliations

Psychological flexibility in older adulthood: a scoping review

Evan Plys et al. Aging Ment Health. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Objectives: Psychological flexibility/inflexibility (PF/PI) is a core component of the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) model, which is gaining more attention in the geropsychological literature. This scoping review examines the size and scope of the research on PF/PI in older adulthood related to age differences between older adult and younger samples, correlates relevant to psychological health, and changes with ACT.

Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Peer-reviewed articles available in English were included that: had a mean age ≥65 and a minimum age ≥60; and reported self-report measures of PF/PI. We categorized PF/PI into three domains: open, aware, and engaged.

Results: Forty-six articles were included. Most studies measured open or aware domains; few measured the engaged domain. Older adults evidenced greater awareness compared to younger adults (9 of 13 analyses were significant). Openness and awareness consistently yielded medium to large correlations with anxiety and depression. PF/PI did not relate with positive affect and inconsistently correlated with quality of life measures.

Conclusion: Despite emerging trends, variability and limitations were evident in the literature. Specifically, measurement issues, lack of conceptual clarity, and the omission of values and behavioral measures require future attention.

Keywords: Psychological flexibility; acceptance and commitment therapy; geropsychology; psychological health; psychological inflexibility.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

We have no conflicts of interest to disclose. These contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Triflex Model of PF/PI Used in the Current Study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
PRISMA-ScR Diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. *Alonso MA, López A, Losada A, & González JL (2013). Acceptance and commitment therapy and selective optimization with compensation for older people with chronic pain: A pilot study. Behavioral Psychology / Psicología Conductual: Revista Internacional Clínica y de La Salud, 21(1), 59–79. psyh.
    1. *Alonso-Fernández M, López-López A, Losada A, González JL, & Wetherell JL (2015). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Selective Optimization with Compensation for Institutionalized Older People with Chronic Pain: ACT-Soc in Elderly. Pain Medicine, n/a-n/a. 10.1111/pme.12885 - DOI - PubMed
    1. *Andrew DH, & Dulin PL (2007). The relationship between self-reported health and mental health problems among older adults in New Zealand: Experiential avoidance as a moderator. Aging & Mental Health, 11(5), 596–603. psyh. 10.1080/13607860601086587 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Aromataris E, & Munn Z (Eds.). (2020). JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. JBI. 10.46658/JBIMES-20-01 - DOI
    1. A-Tjak JGL, Davis ML, Morina N, Powers MB, Smits JAJ, & Emmelkamp PMG (2015). A Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Clinically Relevant Mental and Physical Health Problems. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84(1), 30–36. 10.1159/000365764 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types