A DEVELOPMENT OF HOLISTIC WELL-BEING FOR THE ELDERLY BASED ON BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY

Abstract

The study aims 1) to study Buddhadhamma and Psychological principles for developing the holistic well-being for the elderly based on Buddhist Psychology; 2) to construct the development program of the holistic well-being for the elderly based on Buddhist Psychology; and 3) to propose the development program of the holistic well-being for the elderly based on Buddhist Psychology. The study is a mixed methods research between a qualitative method and survey research. Qualitative data were collected using In-depth interview from 17 key informants. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaire from 322 respondents who are the elderly from Chao Phaya group of Bangkok selected by a Random Sampling Method. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation and content analysis, results of which found that there were 5 elements of  the holistic well-being suitable for the elderly including a physical well-being, social well-being, emotional well-being, mental well-being and intellectual well-being,   6 dimensions of Ryff and Keyes’s mental well-being development including self-being, environmental management, self-growth, good relationship, life target and recognition, while the Buddhadhamma  promoting the mental well-being comprised 7 Suitable things and Threefold Training favorable to holistic well-being and the result after the training was significantly higher than before training at .05.