Disability, Psychological Well-Being, and Social Interaction in Later Life in China

Many studies show that disability predicts lower social participation and poorer psychological well-being. However, few have examined how disability, social interaction, and psychological well-being interrelate with one another. We use diary data from World Health Organization's Study on Global...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Research on aging 2019-04, Vol.41 (4), p.362-389
Main Authors: Hsieh, Ning, Waite, Linda
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aging
China
Cross-Sectional Studies
Disability
Disabled Persons - psychology
Expenditures
Female
Friendship
Functional performance
Grandchildren
Happiness
Health Surveys
Humans
Hypotheses
Interpersonal Relations
Life satisfaction
Male
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Older people
Psychological well being
Social interaction
Social life & customs
Social Participation
Social Support
Time use
Well being
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Summary:Many studies show that disability predicts lower social participation and poorer psychological well-being. However, few have examined how disability, social interaction, and psychological well-being interrelate with one another. We use diary data from World Health Organization's Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health, 2007–2010 (N = 8,771) and mediation analysis to examine the links between disability, daily social interaction, and the momentary and global well-being of older adults in China. We find suggestive support for the hypothesis that psychological well-being predicts social interaction in the context of disablement, but little evidence for the converse. Specifically, in a cross-sectional analysis, disability predicts lower levels of momentary affect, happiness, and life satisfaction, which are linked to spending more time alone and participating in fewer activities with grandchildren, friends, and coworkers. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a less active social life is explained by poor functional performance and compromised psychological vibrancy.
ISSN:0164-0275
1552-7573
DOI:10.1177/0164027518824049