LAUSR

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of spiritual well‐being (SWB) on depressive symptoms (DS) and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) among Taiwanese elders. A convenience sample of 150 Taiwanese elders completed self‐administrated questionnaires participated in this cross‐sectional study. This study revealed that SWB was positively related to HRQOL but negatively correlated with DS. Results of hieratical regression analyses suggested that SWB significantly mediated the relationship between DS and mental components of HRQOL. Findings from this study suggest that nurses and health care providers should develop strategies to enhance spiritual well‐being when caring for elders to maintain good health and promote quality of life. HIGHLIGHTSElderly are facing various life stressors, disease and disability.Fast growing older population highlights the urgency of helping elders to maintain good health and improve quality of life.Spiritual well‐being (SWB) was positively related to HRQOL, but negatively correlated with depressive symptoms.Spiritual well‐being significantly mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and mental components of HRQOL.Psychiatric nurses could develop interventions that may increase SWB to help elders improve their health and QOL.