Fostering Psychological Immunity and Successful Aging among Older Persons through Mindfulness-Integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT): Examining Their Relationship

Population aging has increasingly shifted the focus of geriatric research from decline-oriented perspectives toward successful and healthy aging. The present study examined the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT) in fostering psychological immunity and successful aging among older persons in urban Assam, while also exploring the relationship between these variables. A purposive sample of 200 older adults (94 males and 106 females) aged 60 years and above was selected from senior citizen clubs, community settings, and residential facilities. The study employed an experimental pre-post research design consisting of an experimental group and a control group. Participants were assessed using the Self-Immunity Scale and the Successful Aging Scale following screening through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). The experimental group underwent a 10-week culturally adapted MiCBT intervention programme. Data were analysed using independent t-tests and Pearson Product–Moment Correlation Coefficients through IBM SPSS Statistics Version 24. The findings revealed significant improvements in psychological immunity and successful aging among participants in the experimental group following the intervention. Significant enhancement was observed in resilience, self-reliance, hope, coping, mindfulness, healthy lifestyle, adaptive coping, and engagement with life. Correlation analysis further indicated significant positive relationships between psychological immunity and successful aging among older persons. The findings suggest that MiCBT serves as an effective mindfulness-based intervention for strengthening psychological resources and promoting healthier and more adaptive aging outcomes. The study highlights the importance of integrating culturally relevant and non-pharmacological psychological interventions into geriatric mental health care and community wellness programmes.