In a pair of new studies, researchers have found that the elderly who challenges themselves to learn new things are less likely to feel loneliness or depression, even during major upheavals.
The UC Riverside Research finds a link between continuous skills learning and improving mental health during the first years of the COVVI-19 pandemic. Published in Plos Mental HealthThe results highlight the long -term value of cognitive engagement for the elderly and the preparation of an unexpected change.
Learning can be difficult and uncomfortable in the short term. But this short -term discomfort actually helps protect us in the long term. “”
Rachel Wu, UCR psychologist and study author
The work, published in the form of two studies, examined how people of different ages adapted to the pandemic. The first study included two groups: one with participants aged 19 and over, and another with adults aged 50 and over. Some people in the second group participated in a previous learning intervention program designed to increase the desire and the ability to learn unknown skills.
In both cases, the participants reported how long they spent learning new skills during the pandemic and how their well-being changed during a year.
Lilian Azer, a former student graduated from the UCR and principal author of paper, said that the results show a coherent model: “People who learned actively behaved better in terms of mental health results, especially the elderly who could otherwise have been more vulnerable to isolation and stress,” she said.
These results included self-depressed levels of depression, solitude and general well-being. Studies also asked participants to assess their own memory, concentration and daily decision -making capacities.
The researchers found that the benefits of learning were not immediate. The participants who challenged themselves did not necessarily feel happier at the time. But a year later, they reported greater resilience to external stressors than peers who had not spent time learning new things.
This observation adds nuances to longtime theories on aging. According to the theory of socio-emotional selectivity, people tend to prioritize emotional satisfaction as they age, looking for joy and avoiding conflicts. Wu sees the value of this approach to life, but believes that it has a cost if we only prioritize happiness in the short term.
“Learning new skills is frustrating at first, especially if you haven’t done it for some time,” she said. “But if we only do what is good right now, we could abandon the ability to adapt when life gives us something big. »»
The pandemic has created a rare opportunity to study this idea. The closed formal learning environments, the participants had to direct their strengthening their strengthening of skills, in particular by collecting new hobbies and browsing online tools. Those who continued to learn, even without structure or without support, tended to report better mental health later.
In a second separate study, the researchers focused on people over 58 who had spent time learning digital photography, drawing or languages before the pandemic blow. Compared to a similar group of peers who had not participated in the structured learning intervention before the pandemic, the learners behaved better emotionally.
“You want learning machines to be sprinkled, so it works when you need it,” said Wu.
Wu said this work is filling a major gap in scientific literature, as most research on learning stops after the start of adulthood. Based on these studies and others, Wu says that there is a critical need to expand this calendar.
“There is so little research on how learning affects people after the end of their formal education,” she said. “But we know that if you don’t learn, you probably decline, whatever your age. »»
Wu hopes that the results inspire more targeted interventions for the elderly, in particular those who are subdressources or in cognitive difficulty. Research also has implications for public health and aging policy. Continuous learning, she says, can be as vital for independence as physical health.
“You don’t want to wait until you have to learn something in crisis,” she said. “Look for challenges. Continue to grow. This is how you stay ready. »»
