Well-being is one of the keys to successful and optimal development across the lifespan. Based on the idea that development involves changes in individuals’ adaptive capacity to meet their needs over time, the changes that occur in the second half of life require effort to adapt to the new reality. This study used a structural model to test the effects of coping strategies and resilience on well-being in a sample of 305 mid-life adults. Several constructs were measured: coping strategies, resilience, and well-being. A final model was obtained with good fit indices; psychological well-being was positively predicted by resilience and negatively by emotional coping. Moreover, positive reappraisal and avoidance form part of both coping strategies (problem-focused and emotion-focused). Considering the characteristics of the model, educational intervention programs could be developed to promote skills that favor good adaptation at this stage in the life cycle and contribute to promoting successful aging.

Well-being is a complex construct related to sociodemographic and cultural aspects that vary across cultures. Latin America is a region with high social inequalities among population groups, although this varies significantly depending on the country. This article proposes a model that seeks to establish the relationship between psychosocial variables, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction in a sample of Colombian older adults. The model explores associations between resilience, socioeconomic status, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. A study with a sample of 617 Colombian older adults was conducted. A structural equation modeling technique was performed. The results showed a model in which life satisfaction is positively explained by psychological well-being and resilience, whereas psychological well-being is explained by a higher socio-economic status. The results contribute to the evidence about how well-being is determined by psychosocial and cultural factors. The evidence found represents novel information about older adults in Colombia.