PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, government-mandated social distancing prevented the spread of the disease but potentially exacerbated social isolation and loneliness for older people, especially those already vulnerable to isolation. Older adults may have been able to draw from their personal resources such as psychological resilience (PR) and technology use (TU) to combat such effects. Educational attainment (EA) or early-life EA may potentially shape later-life personal resources and their impact on the effects of the pandemic lockdown on outcomes such as loneliness. The developmental adaptation model allows for the supposition that social isolation, TU, and PR may be affected by early EA in older adults.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the indirect impact of EA on pandemic-linked loneliness in a sample of older adults. The developmental adaptation model was used as the conceptual framework to view EA as a distal influence on loneliness, social isolation, PR, and TU. We hypothesized that EA would predict TU and PR and have a moderating impact on social isolation and loneliness. We also hypothesized that PR and TU would mediate the effect of EA on loneliness.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study, in which data were gathered from 92 older adults aged ≥65 years in the United Kingdom from March 2020 to June 2021, when the country was under various pandemic-linked social mobility restrictions. The data captured demographic information including age, gender, ethnicity, and the highest degree of education achieved. The University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Lubben Social Network Index, and Technology Experience Questionnaire were used as standardized measures. Pearson correlation, moderation, and mediation regression analyses were conducted to investigate the hypotheses.
RESULTS: We found a higher prevalence of loneliness in older adults than in prepandemic norms. EA was correlated with greater TU and PR and moderated the impact of social isolation on loneliness. PR mediated and TU partially mediated the relationship between EA and loneliness.
CONCLUSIONS: Early-life EA was confirmed as a distal resource for older adults and played an indirect role in affecting loneliness levels during the pandemic. It has an impact on present-day personal resources, such as PR and TU, which affect loneliness and also moderate the impact of social isolation on loneliness. Policymakers should be aware that older adults with low levels of EA may be more vulnerable to the harmful impacts of loneliness when isolated by choice.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the indirect impact of EA on pandemic-linked loneliness in a sample of older adults. The developmental adaptation model was used as the conceptual framework to view EA as a distal influence on loneliness, social isolation, PR, and TU. We hypothesized that EA would predict TU and PR and have a moderating impact on social isolation and loneliness. We also hypothesized that PR and TU would mediate the effect of EA on loneliness.
METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study, in which data were gathered from 92 older adults aged ≥65 years in the United Kingdom from March 2020 to June 2021, when the country was under various pandemic-linked social mobility restrictions. The data captured demographic information including age, gender, ethnicity, and the highest degree of education achieved. The University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Lubben Social Network Index, and Technology Experience Questionnaire were used as standardized measures. Pearson correlation, moderation, and mediation regression analyses were conducted to investigate the hypotheses.
RESULTS: We found a higher prevalence of loneliness in older adults than in prepandemic norms. EA was correlated with greater TU and PR and moderated the impact of social isolation on loneliness. PR mediated and TU partially mediated the relationship between EA and loneliness.
CONCLUSIONS: Early-life EA was confirmed as a distal resource for older adults and played an indirect role in affecting loneliness levels during the pandemic. It has an impact on present-day personal resources, such as PR and TU, which affect loneliness and also moderate the impact of social isolation on loneliness. Policymakers should be aware that older adults with low levels of EA may be more vulnerable to the harmful impacts of loneliness when isolated by choice.
摘要：
背景：在COVID-19大流行期间，政府规定的社会距离防止了疾病的传播，但可能加剧了老年人的社会孤立和孤独，尤其是那些已经很容易被孤立的人.老年人可能已经能够利用他们的个人资源，如心理弹性(PR)和技术使用(TU)来对抗这种影响。受教育程度(EA)或早期生活EA可能会影响晚年的个人资源，以及它们对大流行封锁对孤独等结果的影响的影响。发展适应模型允许假设社会孤立，TU,老年人的早期EA可能会影响PR。
目的：这项研究调查了EA对老年人样本中与大流行相关的孤独感的间接影响。发展适应模型被用作概念框架，将EA视为对孤独感的远端影响，社会孤立,PR,还有TU.我们假设EA可以预测TU和PR，并对社会孤立和孤独感产生调节作用。我们还假设PR和TU会介导EA对孤独感的影响。
方法：这是一项横断面观察性研究，其中数据收集自2020年3月至2021年6月英国92名年龄≥65岁的老年人,当时该国受到各种与大流行相关的社会流动限制.数据捕获了人口统计信息，包括年龄，性别,种族,达到的最高教育程度。加州大学洛杉矶分校孤独量表,康纳-戴维森弹性量表，鲁本社会网络指数，和技术经验问卷被用作标准化措施。皮尔逊相关性，适度,并进行中介回归分析以研究假设。
结果：我们发现老年人的孤独感患病率高于流行前常模。EA与更大的TU和PR相关，并减轻了社交隔离对孤独感的影响。PR介导和TU部分介导EA与孤独感的关系。
结论：早期EA被证实为老年人的远端资源，并在大流行期间影响孤独水平方面发挥了间接作用。它对当今的个人资源有影响，比如PR和TU，这影响了孤独感，也减轻了社会孤立对孤独感的影响。政策制定者应该意识到，EA水平较低的老年人在选择孤立时可能更容易受到孤独的有害影响。
目的：这项研究调查了EA对老年人样本中与大流行相关的孤独感的间接影响。发展适应模型被用作概念框架，将EA视为对孤独感的远端影响，社会孤立,PR,还有TU.我们假设EA可以预测TU和PR，并对社会孤立和孤独感产生调节作用。我们还假设PR和TU会介导EA对孤独感的影响。
方法：这是一项横断面观察性研究，其中数据收集自2020年3月至2021年6月英国92名年龄≥65岁的老年人,当时该国受到各种与大流行相关的社会流动限制.数据捕获了人口统计信息，包括年龄，性别,种族,达到的最高教育程度。加州大学洛杉矶分校孤独量表,康纳-戴维森弹性量表，鲁本社会网络指数，和技术经验问卷被用作标准化措施。皮尔逊相关性，适度,并进行中介回归分析以研究假设。
结果：我们发现老年人的孤独感患病率高于流行前常模。EA与更大的TU和PR相关，并减轻了社交隔离对孤独感的影响。PR介导和TU部分介导EA与孤独感的关系。
结论：早期EA被证实为老年人的远端资源，并在大流行期间影响孤独水平方面发挥了间接作用。它对当今的个人资源有影响，比如PR和TU，这影响了孤独感，也减轻了社会孤立对孤独感的影响。政策制定者应该意识到，EA水平较低的老年人在选择孤立时可能更容易受到孤独的有害影响。
