OBJECTIVE: The role of social relationships in determining well-being may be particularly salient in ageing populations. There is only limited longitudinal research examining the relationship between different dimensions of social relationships and change in well-being over time. The present analysis explores the association between isolation, loneliness and two measures of subjective well-being over six years using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. DESIGN: Measures of social relationships were obtained at baseline and associations with well-being over the following six years were analysed using mixed models. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hedonic and evaluative well-being assessed every two years over the six-year period. RESULTS: Levels of well-being showed a U-shaped relationship with time. At baseline, higher isolation and loneliness were associated with lower levels of hedonic and evaluative well-being. Individuals with high levels of isolation and loneliness initially showed a smaller decrease in evaluative well-being. The subsequent rise in well-being was, however, also diminished in this group. In contrast, loneliness was not associated with rate of change in hedonic well-being, while high levels of isolation were associated with a sustained decrease in hedonic well-being. CONCLUSION: Social isolation and loneliness show different associations with changes in evaluative and hedonic well-being over time.
OBJECTIVE: The role of social relationships in determining well-being may be particularly salient in ageing populations. There is only limited longitudinal research examining the relationship between different dimensions of social relationships and change in well-being over time. The present analysis explores the association between isolation, loneliness and two measures of subjective well-being over six years using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. DESIGN: Measures of social relationships were obtained at baseline and associations with well-being over the following six years were analysed using mixed models. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hedonic and evaluative well-being assessed every two years over the six-year period. RESULTS: Levels of well-being showed a U-shaped relationship with time. At baseline, higher isolation and loneliness were associated with lower levels of hedonic and evaluative well-being. Individuals with high levels of isolation and loneliness initially showed a smaller decrease in evaluative well-being. The subsequent rise in well-being was, however, also diminished in this group. In contrast, loneliness was not associated with rate of change in hedonic well-being, while high levels of isolation were associated with a sustained decrease in hedonic well-being. CONCLUSION: Social isolation and loneliness show different associations with changes in evaluative and hedonic well-being over time.
Keywords:
ELSA; loneliness; older adults; social isolation; subjective well-being
Authors: Michael J Annear; Kate-Ellen J Elliott; Laura T Tierney; Emma J Lea; Andrew Robinson Journal: Health Expect Date: 2017-04-11 Impact factor: 3.377
Authors: Miaomiao Liu; Yining Huang; Rosemary Hiscock; Qin Li; Jun Bi; Patrick L Kinney; Clive E Sabel Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2016-03-21 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Laura Alejandra Rico-Uribe; Francisco Félix Caballero; Beatriz Olaya; Beata Tobiasz-Adamczyk; Seppo Koskinen; Matilde Leonardi; Josep Maria Haro; Somnath Chatterji; José Luis Ayuso-Mateos; Marta Miret Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-01-13 Impact factor: 3.240