Search Results (13)

Background/Objectives: Work engagement is essential for quality care and workforce retention in professional nursing. While job demands–resources theory has guided extensive research on job-related antecedents, personal resources have received comparatively less empirical attention, primarily focusing on self-efficacy, self-esteem, and optimism. This study examined the unique association between ikigai—the Japanese concept of life purpose—as a novel personal resource and work engagement in professional nursing practice, controlling for established job resources, demands, and personal resources. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with vocational nursing trainees in Germany (N = 166). Data were collected via online questionnaire using validated instruments to assess ikigai, job resources (autonomy, interpersonal relations, professional resources), job demands (work overload, lack of formal rewards), other personal resources (self-efficacy, organization-based self-esteem, optimism), and work engagement. Hierarchical multiple linear regression examined ikigai’s unique association with work engagement. Results: The final model explained 40.3% of variance in engagement, with ikigai accounting for a statistically significant increase in explained variance (ΔR² = 0.033, p < 0.01). Ikigai demonstrated a unique positive association with work engagement (β = 0.24, p < 0.01), comparable in strength to job resources and other personal resources. Conclusions: Findings support ikigai as a distinct personal resource associated with work engagement among nursing trainees. This extends the job demands–resources model by highlighting the relevance of existential constructs. Supporting ikigai development may offer a complementary strategy for promoting engagement in professional nursing. Full article

Facing severe depopulation and aging, rural Japanese communities—particularly marginal settlements (genkai shūraku)—increasingly require revitalization strategies that integrate local culture and elder well-being. This study examines the Ōsawa Engawa Café, a community-led initiative in a mountainous tea-growing village, as a site of ikigai-zukuri—the active creation of life purpose among elderly residents. With the use of a mixed-methods approach, including spatial analysis, household surveys, and interviews, Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) decision tree analysis was applied to identify factors shaping distinct household café operational states: Operating, Discontinued, and Never Operated. Qualitative findings reveal that support from local leaders, experts, and the government enabled the Ōsawa Engawa café’s launch. Broad household participation, often guided by elderly women, sustained the initiative by sharing local culture—such as engawa (verandas), Zairai tea (native variety), and omotenashi (hospitality)—thereby nurturing residents’ ikigai through daily engagement. Complementing these insights, the CHAID analysis revealed a hierarchy of influential factors: high-frequency support from out-migrated family members was the strongest predictor of continued operation; in the absence of such support, co-resident family cooperation proved essential; where both were lacking, agricultural engagement distinguished households that discontinued from those that never operated. Practically, the Ōsawa model offers a replicable, bottom-up strategy that activates the Rural Cultural Landscape (landscapes shaped by traditional rural life and culture, RCL) through community engagement grounded in cultural practices and elderly ikigai-zukuri, contributing to sustainable rural livelihoods. Theoretically, this study reframes ikigai-zukuri as a key socio-cultural pillar of community resilience in aging rural areas. Fostering such culturally embedded, purpose-driven initiatives is essential for building vibrant, adaptive rural communities in the face of demographic decline. However, the study acknowledges that the Ōsawa model’s success is rooted in its specific socio-cultural context, and its replication in other cultural settings may be limited without contextual adaptation. Full article

This study explores the motivations of students pursuing a university degree in hospitality and tourism and their intention to build a career in the sector. The research focused on students and recent graduates (up to two years post-graduation) from two universities in Portugal’s largest cities, Lisbon and Oporto, offering Hotel/Tourism Management programs. A quantitative study was carried out, and out of 610 questionnaires distributed, 346 valid responses were analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. Findings indicate that personal motivations, as well as macro and micro perspectives, influence the decision to pursue a degree in hospitality and tourism. Younger individuals with no prior industry experience tend to have a more optimistic outlook compared to older students or those with work experience. A key challenge is sustaining this optimism throughout their careers, which can enhance job satisfaction and improve retention in a sector known for high turnover rates. Unlike previous studies, this research links students’ motivations to their “Ikigai”—the pursuit of purpose and fulfilment. The desire to create meaningful experiences for others adds another dimension to understanding students’ motivations, particularly when considering differences in age and work experience. Full article

Ikigai—a Japanese concept that includes elements such as life’s purpose and meaning—has been reported to be associated with various systemic health conditions, such as the risk of developing physical dysfunction or death in older adults. However, there are no reports that comprehensively examine the psychological and social aspects of Ikigai. We attempted to clarify the characteristics of Ikigai by examining it from a biopsychosocial model using physical, psychological, and social perspectives through a cross-sectional study on sarcopenia, frailty and healthy life expectancy in a hilly and mountainous area of Japan. Koyadaira in Mima City, which is located in a hilly and mountainous region on Shikoku Island in Japan, was targeted. This cross-sectional study included 105 outpatients aged 65 and over, with an average age of 79.02 ± 6.91 years. Ikigai (self-rating score on a scale of 0 (no Ikigai) to 5 (the highest Ikigai)) participants’ level of physical activity (the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, PASE), degree of depression (the Geriatric Depression-15 Scale, GDS-15), cognitive function (the Mini-Mental State Examination, MMSE) and social isolation (the abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale, LSNS-6) was assessed. Significant positive correlations were found between PASE and MMSE. The LSNS-6 significantly correlated with the MMSE and GDS-15. In a path model, out of four paths from PASE, GDS-15, MMSE, and LSNS-6 to Ikigai, the path from the GDS-15 alone was significant (correlation coefficient −0.271, p < 0.01). The adaptability of this model was good. This study indicates that depressive status has a large impact on Ikigai, along with physical, cognitive, and social conditions; thus, it is appropriate to consider that an affective psychological status, such as depressive symptoms, is a fundamental condition for having Ikigai. Full article

Background: The Japanese concept of “ikigai” embodies the feeling of having a meaningful purpose in life. It is associated with several positive outcomes. This study aimed to translate and validate the German version of the Ikigai-9 scale (Ikigai-9-G)—and ikigai scores for certain groups of interest were presented. Methods: Data were taken from a quota sample of the German adult population aged 18 to 74 years (n = 5000; representative in terms of age, sex, and state). Data were collected in August/September 2023. The translation process was conducted in accordance with the existing guidelines. Reliability (Cronbach’s alpha; McDonald’s omega) was assessed. Moreover, we evaluated the structure’s soundness using confirmatory factor analysis for construct validity and examined concurrent validity by exploring pairwise correlations between the Ikigai-9-G with life satisfaction, happiness, health-related quality of life, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, we presented ikigai scores for specific sociodemographic groups of interest. Results: Cronbach’s alpha for the Ikigai-9-G equaled 0.88. The results of confirmatory factor analysis supported the original three-factor model as initially proposed. A higher sense of ikigai was associated with less depressive symptoms (r = −0.43, p < 0.001), less anxiety symptoms (r = −0.39, p < 0.001), higher health-related quality of life (r = 0.42, p < 0.001), higher happiness levels (r = 0.62, p < 0.001), and higher satisfaction with life levels (r = 0.57, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Ikigai-9 scale is a psychometrically sound tool offering the possibility for assessing ikigai among German speakers. Additional translation and validation studies are required to facilitate comparisons across different countries. Full article

This study aimed to investigate whether the overlap of physical, cognitive, and social frailty affects Ikigai in community-dwelling Japanese older adults. Participants were 116 community-dwelling older adult Japanese men and women. Associations of physical, cognitive, and social frailty with falls, daily living assessment, and Ikigai were analyzed by group comparisons and multivariate analyses. Physical, cognitive, and social frailty were associated with the risk of falls and Ikigai. An increase in the number of frailty category overlaps was associated with an increased risk of falls and decrease in Ikigai. Multivariate analyses adjusted for confounding factors showed that physical and cognitive frailty were related to Ikigai. In conclusion Two or more overlapping numbers of physical, cognitive, and social frailty had adverse effects on Ikigai in community-dwelling Japanese older adults. Full article

Intergenerational theater activities have been recently employed in recreation for older adults. We held a series of four intergenerational theater workshops in two older adults’ care facilities in Japan and sought the experiences of older participants, younger participants, and the facility managers. With a qualitatively driven mixed-methods multiple-case study design, we obtained data from field observation, interviews with participants, and preworkshop and postworkshop changes on a well-being scale (Ikigai-9) among older participants, and the results of the two sites were compared. “Immediate effects” were seen in older adults because they responded actively and demonstrated surprising faculties during the workshop. Facility staff members and younger participants received “extended effects” because they gained new ideas regarding the remaining skills of older participants and a sense of reuniting with old neighbors through the exercise. In the Ikigai-9 scale, the items measuring “present happiness” significantly improved at Site 1 but not at Site 2. Better results at Site 1 might have been caused by the lower care needs of participants and the inclusion of children. Less support from facility staff members during the activities also might have promoted the voluntary participation of older adults. Involving children and engaging the facility staff in preparation could enhance the quality of activities. Full article

Ikigai is a unique Japanese concept that encompasses not only joy and happiness, but also the purpose and meaning of life. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that contribute to Ikigai, an important concept in the health of older women, and to clarify the relationship between Ikigai and the enhancement of the social aspects of their health. The participants in this longitudinal study, conducted between October 2017 and February 2020, were physically healthy older women aged 65 years and above (N = 132). Physical function and social activity were used as predictors of Ikigai. In addition, willingness for new interactions was used to examine the social aspects of health. A causal model was created from these factors, and path analysis was performed. The results demonstrated that participating in numerous interpersonal activities was predictive of increased Ikigai, but physical function was not. In addition, Ikigai was found to affect the willingness for new interactions. Further, Ikigai could be related to the willingness for new interactions. To enhance the social aspects of older women’s health, it is necessary to focus on Ikigai. Full article

The purpose of this study is to reveal how high or low life purpose is related to QOL and ikigai (a meaning for life). Ikigai is “a sense of purpose and motivation in the daily lives of older people, a sense that they are capable and meaningful to their families and others, and that they should be”. Eighty-one community-dwelling older people (23 male and 58 female, mean age 77 ± 5.2 years) participated of their own will. The following items were measured: dementia test, exercise habits, life purpose, ikigai, and QOL. In the multivariate analysis of high and low life purpose, only ikigai was found to be related. In the multivariate analysis of ikigai, life purpose was also the most relevant, indicating that life purpose and ikigai are strongly interrelated. To improve QOL, it is also necessary to take into account life purpose in addition to the current nursing care prevention. Full article

Aging increases the risk of social isolation, which could lead to conditions such as depressive mood. Pet ownership is known to reduce social isolation. However, previous studies have mainly focused on mammals as pets, which could be difficult at old age. A small ornamental fish is relatively easy to culture and might be a suitable alternative. In this research, we aimed to elucidate the possible effects of fish ownership on the psychological state of community-dwelling older adults in Japan. A Bottleium, a bottle-type aquarium, was selected to lower the burden of fish ownership. A workshop was hosted in 2019 and participants brought home their own Bottleium, with fish and water snail inside. Nineteen participants gave consent to the follow-up interview a month later. Five themes, “observation of fish and water snail”, “interaction between the fish and the owner”, “taking care of the fish as pet owner”, “facilitation of interpersonal interaction”, and “development of support system”, emerged from thematic analysis. The promotion of animal-to-human, and human-to-human interaction and development of responsibility could relate to a sense of social inclusion and ikigai-kan, a purpose of life. Fish ownership, when using equipment that suits the physical capability of older adults, could act as a positive stimulus. Full article

A growing number of studies have revealed the association between health-related lifestyle habits and purpose in life. However, the mechanism linking the two has not been adequately understood. This study aims to examine the effect of changes in health-related lifestyle habits on purpose in life. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on certified professional specialists of health management. We analyzed the cohort’s demographic information, health-related lifestyle behaviors, reported changes in health-related lifestyle habits (exercise, diet, sleep, and other habits), and purpose in life using a validated tool (Ikigai-9). The cohort was divided into four groups based on the number of reported changes in health-related lifestyles. The purpose in life score was compared among the four groups with and without adjusting for lifestyle. In total, there were 4820 participants. The means (and SD) of the Ikigai-9 score for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 31.4 (6.6), 32.2 (5.6), 32.8 (5.8), and 34.9 (5.4), respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in the Ikigai-9 score among the groups. Healthier changes in lifestyle habits increased perceptions of purpose in life. Both purpose in life and health-related lifestyle habits might be the target factors for disease prevention and health promotion. Full article

The meaning of participation in care prevention group activities may encourage continuous participation, making older adults active and healthy throughout their lives. This study developed a scale to assess the meaning of participation in care prevention group activities. It involved 427 participants in care prevention group activities (CPGAs) in Japan who filled out a self-administered questionnaire between October 2017 and February 2018. The meaning of participation was assessed using 15 items. In total, there were 379 valid responses. A factor analysis yielded two factors: “promotion of self-growth” and “enrichment of daily life”. The goodness of fit index (GFI), comparative fit index (CFI), and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) were satisfactory (GFI = 0.923; CFI = 0.960; RMSEA = 0.073). Cronbach’s α was 0.939 for the entire scale. The scale scores were significantly correlated with scores of the social activity-related daily life satisfaction scale and Ikigai-9. The scale’s reliability and validity were confirmed, indicating its usability for promoting care prevention efforts. Full article

In marine environments and water systems, it is easy for many structures to form biofilms on their surfaces and to be deteriorated due to the corrosion caused by biofilm formation by bacteria. The authors have investigated the antibacterial effects of metallic elements in practical steels so far to solve food-related problems, using Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. However, from the viewpoint of material deterioration caused by bacteria and their antifouling measures, we should consider the biofilm behavior as aggregate rather than individual bacterium. Therefore, we picked up Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudoalteromonas carageenovara in this study, since they easily form biofilms in estuarine and marine environments. We investigated what kind of metallic elements could inhibit the biofilm formation at first and then discussed how the thin films of those inhibitory elements on steels could affect biofilm formation. The information would lead to the establishment of effective antifouling measures against corrosion in estuarine and marine environments. Full article