Table 1 presents the background variables, the descriptive statistics for the mediators and the independent and dependent variables of the sample. The majority of the participants were women, aged between 65 and 95 (mean = 74.3, SD = 6.3) with moderate health status (Mean = 3.61, SD = 1.15). Their education ranged from 6 to 21 years (Mean = 10.0, SD = 4.0) and most had a partner (71.1%). About 50% were Arabs and the others, Jews. No differences were found between the two ethnic groups (data not shown).