Social isolation and wellbeing in elderly
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19090/pp.v18i1.2570Keywords:
social network, social isolation, wellbeing, elderlyAbstract
The structural aspects of social networks serve as channels that facilitate social engagement and enable access to various forms of psychological support and instrumental assistance. Given that social networks tend to shrink and social support diminishes in old age, older adults are at particular risk of social isolation. Considering the potentially detrimental effects of social isolation on overall well-being in later life, this study aims to examine structural differences in well-being between older adults who are well-integrated into social networks and those at risk of social isolation. Well-being in older adults was assessed through life satisfaction (the cognitive component of subjective well-being), the absence of depressive symptoms and feelings of loneliness (as affective components of subjective well-being), meaning in life as an indicator of psychological well-being, and levels of resilience. The study included 294 participants, with an average age of 75 years (66% female), who completed the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS-3), the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), the Depression subscale from the DASS-21 scale, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS), and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). To address the research objective, a discriminant analysis was conducted. The results revealed that 28.1% of the older adults in the sample were at risk of social isolation. One significant discriminant function was identified, characterized by high life satisfaction, high resilience, and a strong sense of meaning in life, alongside low levels of depression and loneliness. The findings indicate that socially isolated older adults exhibit significantly lower well-being than those well-integrated into social networks, confirming that social relationships are a crucial determinant of well-being in old age.
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