KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) Psychology of Woman Journal 3041-8615 In Press 2027 01 01 The Relationship of Self-Handicapping and Mood Disorders with Self-Concept in Elderly Women The Relationship of Self-Handicapping and Mood Disorders with Self-Concept in Elderly Women 1 10 10.61838/ EN Journal Article 2026 02 10 <p><strong>Objective:</strong> The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-handicapping and mood disorders with self-concept among elderly women in Tehran.</p> <p><strong>Methods and Materials: </strong>This applied study employed a descriptive-correlational research design. The statistical population consisted of 254 elderly women residing in Tehran. Based on Cochran’s formula, 153 participants were selected through cluster sampling. Data were collected using the Jones and Rhodewalt Self-Handicapping Scale (SHS), the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), and Rogers’ Self-Concept Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics, while Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among the study variables.</p> <p><strong>Findings: </strong>Inferential statistical analyses revealed significant relationships between self-handicapping, mood disorders, and self-concept among elderly women (p &lt; .05). Pearson correlation coefficients indicated that higher levels of self-handicapping were associated with poorer self-concept. Similarly, mood disorder symptoms demonstrated a significant negative relationship with self-concept, suggesting that increased emotional and mood-related difficulties corresponded with lower levels of positive self-perception. Regression analyses further showed that self-handicapping and mood disorders significantly predicted self-concept and jointly accounted for a meaningful proportion of its variance. The findings suggest that psychological and emotional factors play an important role in shaping self-concept during late adulthood.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results indicate that both self-handicapping behaviors and mood disorders are significantly associated with self-concept in elderly women. Individuals experiencing greater mood-related disturbances and engaging more frequently in self-handicapping behaviors tend to report a less positive self-concept.</p> https://journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/psywoman/article/download/5596/10247