Pillemer Sarah C, Holtzer Roee
a Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology , Yeshiva University , Bronx , NY , USA.
b Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine , Yeshiva University , Bronx , NY , USA.
Aging Ment Health. 2016 Jul;20(7):727-35. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2015.1033683. Epub 2015 Apr 23.
Research has extensively examined the relationship of social support and cognition. Theories on social support suggest that it is a multidimensional construct including perceptions, actual assistance, and level of integration into a social network. Little is known, however, about the differential associations between distinct dimensions of perceived social support and cognition. This study examined whether four empirically validated dimensions of perceived social support were differentially related to cognitive function in aging, and whether this association was moderated by gender.
The sample included 355 community-residing older adults (mean age = 77 years; %female = 55) enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. Social support was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study-Social Support Survey. Cognition was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS).
Principal component analysis yielded four factors capturing different dimensions of social support: emotional/informational support, positive social interaction, tangible support, and affectionate support. Linear regression analyses revealed that both perceived emotional/informational support (beta = 1.41, p = 0.03; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = .156-2.669) and positive social interaction (beta = 1.71, p = 0.01; 95% CI = .428-2.988) were significantly associated with RBANS total index score. Further analyses revealed that gender moderated the relationship between emotional/informational support (beta = 1.266, p = 0.04), demonstrating that higher levels of perceived emotional support were associated with higher index scores in females but not in males.
The associations between perceived emotional/informational support and positive social interaction suggest that social engagement may be an important target for intervention procedures for individuals at risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
研究广泛探讨了社会支持与认知之间的关系。社会支持理论表明，它是一个多维结构，包括认知、实际帮助以及融入社会网络的程度。然而，关于感知到的社会支持的不同维度与认知之间的差异关联，我们所知甚少。本研究考察了感知到的社会支持的四个经实证验证的维度与老年人认知功能之间是否存在差异关联，以及这种关联是否受到性别的调节。
样本包括355名参与纵向队列研究的社区居住老年人（平均年龄 = 77岁；女性占比 = 55%）。使用医学结局研究社会支持调查评估社会支持。使用可重复神经心理状态评估量表（RBANS）评估认知。
主成分分析产生了四个因素，捕捉了社会支持的不同维度：情感/信息支持、积极的社会互动、实际支持和深情支持。线性回归分析显示，感知到的情感/信息支持（β = 1.41，p = 0.03；95%置信区间（CI）= 0.156 - 2.669）和积极的社会互动（β = 1.71，p = 0.01；95% CI = 0.428 - 2.988）均与RBANS总指数得分显著相关。进一步分析表明，性别调节了情感/信息支持之间的关系（β = 1.266，p = 0.04），表明较高水平的感知情感支持与女性较高的指数得分相关，而与男性无关。
感知到的情感/信息支持与积极的社会互动之间的关联表明，社会参与可能是认知能力下降和痴呆风险个体干预措施的一个重要目标。
