a proposed framework for psychological well-being based on the spiritual intelligence dimensions in the elderly

Background and objectives: aging is a sensitive period in human life. the present study aimed to provide a framework for psychological well-being based on the spiritual intelligence dimensions in the elderly. methods: the present research was a descriptive correlational study. the study population consisted of the elderly living in the retirement homes of ahvaz, iran, in 2019. a total of 320 individuals were selected by convenience sampling method. data were collected using king’s (2009) spiritual intelligence questionnaire and ryff’s (2002) psychological well-being questionnaire. the collected data were analyzed using the pearson correlation coefficient and the structural equation. results: as evidenced by the obtained results, psychological well-being of the elderly showed a significant positive relationship with the subscales of critical existential thinking (r=0.34, p=0.001), personal meaning (r=0.41, p=0.001), transcendental awareness (r=0.38 and p=0.001), conscious state expansion (r=0.48, p=0.001) and the overall score of spiritual intelligence (r=0.62, p=0.001). in addition, it was observed that spiritual intelligence had a significant direct impact on psychological well-being (β=0.669) and the predictive power of psychological well-being was obtained by spiritual intelligence (r2=0.508). conclusion: the obtained results indicated the importance of the relationship between spiritual intelligence and psychological well-being in the elderly. therefore, in order to improve the elderlys’ psychological well-being, it is essential to focus on promoting spiritual intelligence.