Psychological resilience and valued living in difficult times: mixed method research in cultural context

Abstract

Valued living involves aligning one's actions with one's personal values, which can contribute to mental strength and psychological resilience. The present study aimed to examine the importance of living a valued life in maintaining mental strength, particularly during challenging times. In addition, it identifies the culturally relevant values that strengthen adults. Our study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. In the quantitative phase, 493 adults completed the following scales Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale Short Form (CD-RISC-10), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). We calculated Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient and used structural equation modeling (SEM) to conduct the path analysis. For the qualitative phase, we recruited 15 participants from a larger quantitative sample based on their scores obtained on administered scales and conducted in-depth interviews along with researcher's journal and memos. Based on our quantitative findings, this study indicates that the concept of valued living serves as a mediating factor between psychological resilience and mental health outcomes. In our qualitative analysis, we identified certain values (e.g., acceptance, love, and goodwill) that serve to empower adults during challenging periods. The findings of this study are deemed to serve as a reference for the formulation and implementation of interventions intended to strengthen psychological resilience, from the viewpoints of both mental health specialists and psychological counselors.