IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i19p12322-d927590.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Psychosocial Outcomes of Age Integration Status: Do Age-Integrated Social Networks Benefit Older Adults?

Author

Listed:
  • Carly Roman

    (Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Christopher R. Beam

    (Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
    Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

  • Elizabeth Zelinski

    (Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
    Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA)

Abstract

Increased longevity means that older adults have more opportunities to have age-integrated social networks, which include both same-aged peers and intergenerational social ties. Compared to those with peer-only, or intergenerational-only social networks, those with age-integrated networks may experience greater psychosocial benefits due to the age-diverse nature of their social networks. Data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study was used to examine age integration status associations with well-being and social engagement in a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. We hypothesized that age-integrated older adults have greater well-being and social engagement than older adults with peer-only or intergenerational-only networks. Weighted ordinary least squares regression analyses were conducted to test associations of well-being and social engagement with age integration status, controlling for sociodemographic and health covariates. Older adults with age-integrated social networks did not differ in well-being from those with peer-only or intergenerational-only networks, although they had greater social engagement than those with intergenerational-only networks.

Suggested Citation

  • Carly Roman & Christopher R. Beam & Elizabeth Zelinski, 2022. "Psychosocial Outcomes of Age Integration Status: Do Age-Integrated Social Networks Benefit Older Adults?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-15, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12322-:d:927590
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12322/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12322/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ann W. Nguyen, 2017. "Variations in Social Network Type Membership Among Older African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and Non-Hispanic Whites," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(4), pages 716-726.
    2. Li, Ting & Zhang, Yanlong, 2015. "Social network types and the health of older adults: Exploring reciprocal associations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 59-68.
    3. Teja Pristavec, 2018. "Social Participation in Later Years: The Role of Driving Mobility," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 73(8), pages 1457-1469.
    4. Julianne Holt-Lunstad & Timothy B Smith & J Bradley Layton, 2010. "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(7), pages 1-1, July.
    5. Tara L. Gruenewald & Diana H. Liao & Teresa E. Seeman, 2012. "Contributing to Others, Contributing to Oneself: Perceptions of Generativity and Health in Later Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 67(6), pages 660-665.
    6. Lindsey Baker & Lawrence Cahalin & Kerstin Gerst & Jeffrey Burr, 2005. "Productive Activities And Subjective Well-Being Among Older Adults: The Influence Of Number Of Activities And Time Commitment," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 73(3), pages 431-458, September.
    7. Katherine L. Fiori & Toni C. Antonucci & Kai S. Cortina, 2006. "Social Network Typologies and Mental Health Among Older Adults," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 61(1), pages 25-32.
    8. Tara L. Gruenewald & Arun S. Karlamangla & Gail A. Greendale & Burton H. Singer & Teresa E. Seeman, 2007. "Feelings of Usefulness to Others, Disability, and Mortality in Older Adults: The MacArthur Study of Successful Aging," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(1), pages 28-37.
    9. Kristine J. Ajrouch & Alysia Y. Blandon & Toni C. Antonucci, 2005. "Social Networks Among Men and Women: The Effects of Age and Socioeconomic Status," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 60(6), pages 311-317.
    10. Katherine L. Fiori & Jacqui Smith & Toni C. Antonucci, 2007. "Social Network Types Among Older Adults: A Multidimensional Approach," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 62(6), pages 322-330.
    11. Kristine J. Ajrouch & Toni C. Antonucci & Mary R. Janevic, 2001. "Social Networks Among Blacks and Whites," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 56(2), pages 112-118.
    12. Haosen Sun & Markus H. Schafer, 2019. "Age integration in older Europeans’ non-kin core networks: Does formal social participation play a role?," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 455-472, December.
    13. Martin Pinquart & Silvia Sörensen, 2001. "Gender Differences in Self-Concept and Psychological Well-Being in Old Age," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 56(4), pages 195-213.
    14. Maria Vozikaki & Manolis Linardakis & Katerina Micheli & Anastas Philalithis, 2017. "Activity Participation and Well-Being Among European Adults Aged 65 years and Older," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 769-795, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Li, Ting & Yang, Yang Claire & Zhang, Yanlong, 2018. "Culture, economic development, social-network type, and mortality: Evidence from Chinese older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 23-30.
    2. Ann W. Nguyen, 2017. "Variations in Social Network Type Membership Among Older African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and Non-Hispanic Whites," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(4), pages 716-726.
    3. Cheng, Grand H.-L. & Sung, Pildoo & Chan, Angelique & Ma, Stefan & Malhotra, Rahul, 2022. "Transitions between social network profiles and their relation with all-cause mortality among older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    4. Sónia Guadalupe & Henrique Testa Vicente, 2022. "Types of Personal Social Networks of Older Adults in Portugal," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 445-466, April.
    5. Haosen Sun & Markus Schafer, 2022. "Close ties, near and far away: patterns and predictors of geographic network range among older Europeans," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 699-716, September.
    6. Zeev Hille & Hannes Ulrich & Vera Maren Straßburger & Pichit Buspavanich, 2024. "Social networks of men who have sex with men engaging in chemsex in Germany: differences in social resources and sexual health," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. Howard Litwin & Michal Levinsky & Ella Schwartz, 2020. "Network type, transition patterns and well-being among older Europeans," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 241-250, June.
    8. Ivaylo Vassilev & Anne Rogers & Anne Kennedy & Michel Wensing & Jan Koetsenruijter & Rosanna Orlando & Maria Carmen Portillo & David Culliford, 2016. "Social Network Type and Long-Term Condition Management Support: A Cross-Sectional Study in Six European Countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-15, August.
    9. Vanessa Burholt & Bethan Winter & Marja Aartsen & Costas Constantinou & Lena Dahlberg & Villar Feliciano & Jenny Jong Gierveld & Sofie Regenmortel & Charles Waldegrave, 2020. "A critical review and development of a conceptual model of exclusion from social relations for older people," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 3-19, March.
    10. Liping Ye & Xinping Zhang, 2019. "Social Network Types and Health among Older Adults in Rural China: The Mediating Role of Social Support," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, January.
    11. Liping Ye & Xinping Zhang, 2021. "The association mechanism between social network types and health‐related behaviours among the elderly in rural Hubei Province, China," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3), pages 826-846, May.
    12. Vonneilich, Nico & Lüdecke, Daniel & von dem Knesebeck, Olaf, 2020. "Educational inequalities in self-rated health and social relationships – analyses based on the European Social Survey 2002-2016," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    13. Child, Stephanie T. & Lawton, Leora E., 2020. "Personal networks and associations with psychological distress among young and older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    14. Haosen Sun & Markus H. Schafer, 2019. "Age integration in older Europeans’ non-kin core networks: Does formal social participation play a role?," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 455-472, December.
    15. Victor Kaufman & Anthony Rodriguez & Lisa C. Walsh & Edward Shafranske & Shelly P. Harrell, 2022. "Unique Ways in Which the Quality of Friendships Matter for Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2563-2580, August.
    16. Friedman, Elliot & Franks, Melissa & Teas, Elizabeth & Thomas, Patricia A., 2024. "Social connectedness, functional capacity, and longevity: A focus on positive relations with others," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    17. Silvana Miceli & Laura Maniscalco & Domenica Matranga, 2019. "Social networks and social activities promote cognitive functioning in both concurrent and prospective time: evidence from the SHARE survey," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 145-154, June.
    18. Kung, Claryn S.J. & Pudney, Stephen E. & Shields, Michael A., 2022. "Economic gradients in loneliness, social isolation and social support: Evidence from the UK Biobank," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    19. Molli R. Grossman & Diana Wang & Tara L. Gruenewald, 2019. "Variations in Daily Cognitive Affective States as a Function of Variations in Daily Generative Activity," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 19-34, January.
    20. Christoph Becker & Isadora Kirchmaier & Stefan T Trautmann, 2019. "Marriage, parenthood and social network: Subjective well-being and mental health in old age," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(7), pages 1-20, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:19:p:12322-:d:927590. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.