Generativity, perceptions of positive changes, and mental health in middle-aged and older adults

Generativity, or the capacity to be productive, caring, and concerned with the well-being of the next generation, promotes positive mental health and posttraumatic growth in later life. The pandemic and its aftermath may have increased the importance of generativity for many older adults. To explore how generativity was associated with mental health and positive changes in personal growth and family both concurrently and over time during the pandemic, we collected two waves of data from a community sample of middle-aged to older adults using an online survey in Summer 2021 ( N = 136, M age = 67.8, range = 50–91; 69% females; 93% White), and Winter 2022 ( N = 95; M age = 68.4). We found that generativity was associated with better mental health and increased positive changes in family during Summer 2021, as well as increased positive changes in both family and personal growth in Winter 2022. Hierarchical linear regressions further demonstrated that generativity positively predicted depressive symptoms and personal growth 6 months later when the highly contagious Omicron variant was widespread. Our findings reveal the complex, multifaceted relationship between generativity and mental health outcomes and its meaning-making function, with associations sensitive to historical events.