Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Healthy Longevity Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2024 Jun 1;79(6). doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbae057.
Some research conceptualizes routineness of daily life as an indicator of cognitive vulnerability that would lead to lower well-being in older age, whereas other research expects routineness to give rise to more meaning and stability in life and thus to higher well-being. Further research is needed to understand routineness in older adults in relation to cognitive abilities and well-being. This study examined routineness of social interactions.
We examined data from an event-contingent experience sampling study with 103 Swiss community-dwelling older adults (aged 65 to 84 years). Participants completed in-lab cognitive assessments (reasoning, episodic memory, speed, and vocabulary) and reported their well-being (positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction). For more than 21 days, participants reported the time and context of their social interactions (including modality, partner type, and location). Routineness of social interactions was defined as social interactions that occurred at the same time of day over the study period. It was calculated using recurrence quantification analysis.
Linear regressions showed that higher routineness of social interaction in general, of social interaction through the same modality, and of social interaction with the same partner type were associated with higher positive affect. Higher routineness of social interaction in general was associated with lower negative affect. Routineness of social interactions was not associated with life satisfaction or cognitive abilities.
A routine social life may increase older adults' affective well-being. Results are discussed in the context of activity engagement and time use in older age.
一些研究将日常生活的常规性视为认知脆弱性的指标，这会导致老年人的幸福感降低，而其他研究则期望常规性会给生活带来更多的意义和稳定性，从而提高幸福感。需要进一步的研究来了解老年人的常规性与认知能力和幸福感之间的关系。本研究考察了社会互动的常规性。
我们使用了一项基于事件的经验抽样研究的数据，该研究对象为 103 名瑞士社区居住的老年人（年龄在 65 岁至 84 岁之间）。参与者完成了实验室认知评估（推理、情节记忆、速度和词汇），并报告了他们的幸福感（积极情绪、消极情绪和生活满意度）。在 21 多天的时间里，参与者报告了他们的社会互动的时间和背景（包括互动的方式、伙伴类型和地点）。社会互动的常规性定义为在研究期间每天同一时间发生的社会互动。它是使用递归定量分析来计算的。
线性回归显示，一般来说，社会互动的常规性越高、通过相同方式进行的社会互动的常规性越高、与相同伙伴类型进行的社会互动的常规性越高，与积极情绪越高相关。一般来说，社会互动的常规性越高，与消极情绪越低相关。社会互动的常规性与生活满意度或认知能力无关。
常规的社交生活可能会提高老年人的情感幸福感。结果在老年人的活动参与和时间利用的背景下进行了讨论。
