The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being

Background: With the increasing prominence of population aging, research has focused on elderly psychological well-being. This study examines the effects of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on older adults' mental health, with subjective well-being as a mediator. Methods: A total of 6...

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Main Authors: Jia Hao, Hefang Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825007085
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author Jia Hao
Hefang Chen
author_facet Jia Hao
Hefang Chen
author_sort Jia Hao
collection DOAJ
description Background: With the increasing prominence of population aging, research has focused on elderly psychological well-being. This study examines the effects of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on older adults' mental health, with subjective well-being as a mediator. Methods: A total of 633 valid responses were collected from individuals aged 60 and above in urban Sanya, Hainan, China, between August and December 2024. The study employed Buckner's Neighborhood Cohesion Instrument, The Lubben Social Network Scale-6, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS Macro 4.2. Result: Neighborhood cohesion negatively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress, while social isolation had a positive correlation with these symptoms. Subjective well-being mediated both relationships, accounting for 13.76 % and 25 %, respectively. Stronger neighborhood cohesion enhanced subjective well-being, reducing mental health issues, whereas social isolation worsened well-being and exacerbated symptoms. Conclusion: Strengthening neighborhood cohesion and reducing social isolation can improve subjective well-being, thereby promoting elderly mental health. These findings provide valuable insights for mental health prevention and intervention strategies for older adults.
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spelling doaj-art-af13f4dd27984e2da82cae3f7a5de83a2025-08-20T04:01:02ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-09-0125910539510.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105395The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-beingJia Hao0Hefang Chen1School of Sociology, University of Sanya, Hainan, Sanya 572000, ChinaCollege of Foreign Languages, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangdong, Guangzhou 510550, China; Corresponding author.Background: With the increasing prominence of population aging, research has focused on elderly psychological well-being. This study examines the effects of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on older adults' mental health, with subjective well-being as a mediator. Methods: A total of 633 valid responses were collected from individuals aged 60 and above in urban Sanya, Hainan, China, between August and December 2024. The study employed Buckner's Neighborhood Cohesion Instrument, The Lubben Social Network Scale-6, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS Macro 4.2. Result: Neighborhood cohesion negatively correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress, while social isolation had a positive correlation with these symptoms. Subjective well-being mediated both relationships, accounting for 13.76 % and 25 %, respectively. Stronger neighborhood cohesion enhanced subjective well-being, reducing mental health issues, whereas social isolation worsened well-being and exacerbated symptoms. Conclusion: Strengthening neighborhood cohesion and reducing social isolation can improve subjective well-being, thereby promoting elderly mental health. These findings provide valuable insights for mental health prevention and intervention strategies for older adults.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825007085Neighborhood cohesionSubjective well-beingSocial isolationMental healthChinese elderly
spellingShingle Jia Hao
Hefang Chen
The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being
Acta Psychologica
Neighborhood cohesion
Subjective well-being
Social isolation
Mental health
Chinese elderly
title The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being
title_full The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being
title_fullStr The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being
title_full_unstemmed The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being
title_short The impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults: Mediating effects of subjective well-being
title_sort impact of neighborhood cohesion and social isolation on the mental health of older adults mediating effects of subjective well being
topic Neighborhood cohesion
Subjective well-being
Social isolation
Mental health
Chinese elderly
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825007085
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