Yang Shuchao, Ge Daoshun
Center for Faculty Development, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
International Academy of Red Cross and Red Crescent, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
Front Psychol. 2025 Aug 22;16:1602284. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1602284. eCollection 2025.
Aging anxiety constitutes a pressing practical issue impacting active aging and healthy aging of the population. Existing theories on aging anxiety predominantly analyze its intrinsic causes through psychosocial perspectives such as perception and identity formation, yet insufficient attention has been paid to structural factors like socioeconomic status that may influence aging anxiety. Current research findings regarding the impact of socioeconomic status on aging anxiety exhibit inconsistencies, while the analysis of underlying mechanisms requires further refinement. This study integrates the Fundamental Causes Theory of health and the Stress Process Theory, utilizing data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to investigate the mechanisms through which socioeconomic status affects aging anxiety. The research reveals that socioeconomic status influences individual aging anxiety both directly and indirectly through mediating mechanisms involving anxiety stressors and perceptions of aging. Specifically, improvements in objective socioeconomic status indicators (education and income) and positive expectations regarding subjective socioeconomic status significantly alleviate aging anxiety. Higher educational attainment and income levels reduce individuals' probability of encountering practical and anticipatory aging-related stressors such as illness and caregiving needs, while fostering more positive perceptions of aging, thereby diminishing aging anxiety. The influence of socioeconomic status on aging anxiety is moderated by regional urbanization levels and urban-rural structures. The anxiety-reducing effect of educational attainment strengthens in regions with higher urbanization levels. Rural residents experience stronger aging anxiety than urban residents, and increased participation in social insurance can effectively alleviate this anxiety among rural residents. This study provides valuable references for cultural interventions and policy-making aimed at alleviating aging anxiety.
老年焦虑是影响人口积极老龄化和健康老龄化的一个紧迫现实问题。现有的老年焦虑理论主要从心理社会视角，如认知和身份形成等方面分析其内在成因，然而对于可能影响老年焦虑的社会经济地位等结构因素关注不足。当前关于社会经济地位对老年焦虑影响的研究结果存在不一致性，且对其潜在机制的分析有待进一步完善。本研究整合了健康的根本原因理论和压力过程理论，利用中国综合社会调查（CGSS）的数据，探究社会经济地位影响老年焦虑的机制。研究发现，社会经济地位通过焦虑应激源和对衰老的认知等中介机制，直接和间接地影响个体的老年焦虑。具体而言，客观社会经济地位指标（教育和收入）的改善以及对主观社会经济地位的积极预期，能显著减轻老年焦虑。较高的教育程度和收入水平降低了个体遭遇与衰老相关的实际和预期应激源（如疾病和照料需求）的概率，同时培养了对衰老更积极的认知，从而减少老年焦虑。社会经济地位对老年焦虑的影响受到区域城市化水平和城乡结构的调节。在城市化水平较高的地区，教育程度对焦虑的缓解作用增强。农村居民比城市居民经历更强的老年焦虑，增加社会保险参与度能有效缓解农村居民的这种焦虑。本研究为旨在减轻老年焦虑的文化干预和政策制定提供了有价值的参考。
