Me, my closet and I: An exploration of proximity of clothing to self, sense of community and well-being among older women in independent -living apartments for senior

This study used a cross-sectional sequential mixed methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative measures to examine dress and its relationship to sense of community and psychological well-being among 102 older women residing in independent residential facilities for seniors in Lexington, Kentucky. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase One of the study examined the scale and construct reliability of the Proximity of Clothing to Self (PCS) scale. Phase Two of the study explored the statistical relationships between proximity of clothing to self, the sense of community and psychological well-being among the participants.;In Phase One of the study, factor analysis failed to confirm the six dimensions of the PCS scale among the older women; however, a four-factor solution integrating items from the six dimensions proved reliable. Analysis of qualitative measures that included field notes, key informant interviews and observations identified eight additional themes that contributed to the meaning of clothing to self among the participants.;Statistical relationships between the PCS scale, Sense of Community Index (SCI) and Psychological Well-Being Scale (Short-Form) (PWB) were examined in Phase Two of the study. Multiple regression results indicated health and the socio-economic variables education and rent status (a proxy for income) were moderators in the relationships between PCS and SCI as well as PWB.;The PCS scale has been used in previous studies primarily among adolescents. This study contributes to the life course perspective of the PCS scale development. The conclusions from the findings suggest that the current 6 dimensions of the PCS scale do not capture the total experience of the psychological relationship between dress and sense of self among the older women in this study. Further development of the current PCS scale is recommended for use with older adults. Additionally, this study challenges environmental gerontologists to consider the personal and portable environment of dress in research of adaptation and health outcomes of older women who transition to communal living environments for seniors.;Keywords. Clothing, Dress, Environment, Well-Being, Community.