Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
Department of Management, Bentley University, Waltham, MA, USA.
Psychol Health Med. 2024 Mar;29(3):542-555. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2023.2260965. Epub 2023 Sep 20.
The current study aimed to explore the protective factors and underlying mechanisms associated with loneliness and psychological distress among older Chinese adults within the framework of a longitudinal design. This investigation specifically focused on the mediating role of attitudes toward own aging (ATOA) in the relationship between social support and the experience of loneliness and psychological distress (comprising depression, anxiety, and stress) amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cohort of 345 elderly individuals (mean age = 83.84 years, standard deviation = 8.49 years; 55.1% females) participated in this research endeavor. The participants were required to complete self-report instruments measuring their perceived levels of social support at Time 1 (T1), attitudes towards own aging, ATOA at Time 2 (T2), and their experiences of loneliness, and psychological distress (including depression, anxiety, and stress) at T1 and Time 3 (T3). The data collection timeline encompassed baseline data collection at T1 in September 2020, a subsequent six-month follow-up at T2 in March 2021, and a one-year follow up at T3 in September 2021. The findings of this investigation unveiled a negative predictive relationship between social support at T1 and psychological distress (encompassing depression, anxiety, and stress) at T3. Furthermore, it was discerned that ATOA at T2 acted as a mediating mechanism, elucidating the longitudinal association between social support at T1 and the manifestation of loneliness and psychological distress (including depression, anxiety, and stress) at T3. The discussion section of this paper delves into an exploration of the limitations and implications inherent in these conclusions, particularly concerning their relevance to potential intervention strategies.
本研究旨在探讨在纵向设计框架下，与中国老年人孤独感和心理困扰相关的保护因素和潜在机制。该研究特别关注在 COVID-19 大流行背景下，社会支持与孤独感和心理困扰（包括抑郁、焦虑和压力）之间关系的中介作用，即态度对自身老龄化（ATOA）。研究纳入了 345 名老年人（平均年龄 83.84 岁，标准差 8.49 岁；55.1%为女性）。参与者需要在 T1（基线）、T2（六个月后）和 T3（一年后）完成社会支持、对自身老龄化的态度、孤独感和心理困扰（包括抑郁、焦虑和压力）的自评量表。数据收集时间线包括 T1（2020 年 9 月）的基线数据收集、T2（2021 年 3 月）的六个月随访和 T3（2021 年 9 月）的一年随访。研究结果表明，T1 的社会支持与 T3 的心理困扰（包括抑郁、焦虑和压力）呈负相关。此外，还发现 T2 的 ATOA 是社会支持与 T1 至 T3 期间孤独感和心理困扰（包括抑郁、焦虑和压力）之间纵向关联的中介机制。本文讨论部分深入探讨了这些结论的局限性和意义，特别是它们对潜在干预策略的相关性。
