Closeness to friends explains age differences in positive emotional experience during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic.
Activity
COVID-19
Closeness
Negative emotion
Positive emotion
Journal
Aging clinical and experimental research
ISSN: 1720-8319
Titre abrégé: Aging Clin Exp Res
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 101132995
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Sep 2021
Sep 2021
Historique:
received:
31
03
2021
accepted:
26
06
2021
pubmed:
12
7
2021
medline:
14
9
2021
entrez:
11
7
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Studies on age differences in emotional states during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that older adults experienced greater emotional wellbeing compared to younger adults. We hypothesized these age differences to be related to the perception of closeness to family/friends or the engagement in daily activities during the pandemic. To investigate age differences in positive and negative emotional experiences and whether the perception of closeness to family/friends and the engagement in daily activities during pandemic explained such age-related differences. Through a cross-sectional study, 1,457 adults aged 18-87 years old completed an online survey assessing positive and negative emotional experiences, the perception of more closeness to family/friends, and daily activities that participants started/re-started during the pandemic. Increasing age was associated with more positive and less negative emotional experiences. Age differences in positive emotional experience were explained by the perception of more closeness to friends and not by the engagement in daily activities. For negative emotional experience age, differences remained significant even after accounting for the perception of closeness to family/friends and engagements in daily activities. Older adults' greater overall level of positive emotional experience was explained by their greater perception of more closeness to friends. We speculate that social closeness provides a coping mechanism to increase emotional wellbeing employed especially in older adults. Our findings reinforce the link between perceived social closeness and emotional wellbeing especially in older adults. To cope with stressful situation, it is important to encourage older adults to increase the closeness to their social network.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Studies on age differences in emotional states during the COVID-19 pandemic showed that older adults experienced greater emotional wellbeing compared to younger adults. We hypothesized these age differences to be related to the perception of closeness to family/friends or the engagement in daily activities during the pandemic.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
To investigate age differences in positive and negative emotional experiences and whether the perception of closeness to family/friends and the engagement in daily activities during pandemic explained such age-related differences.
METHODS
METHODS
Through a cross-sectional study, 1,457 adults aged 18-87 years old completed an online survey assessing positive and negative emotional experiences, the perception of more closeness to family/friends, and daily activities that participants started/re-started during the pandemic.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Increasing age was associated with more positive and less negative emotional experiences. Age differences in positive emotional experience were explained by the perception of more closeness to friends and not by the engagement in daily activities. For negative emotional experience age, differences remained significant even after accounting for the perception of closeness to family/friends and engagements in daily activities.
DISCUSSION
CONCLUSIONS
Older adults' greater overall level of positive emotional experience was explained by their greater perception of more closeness to friends. We speculate that social closeness provides a coping mechanism to increase emotional wellbeing employed especially in older adults.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings reinforce the link between perceived social closeness and emotional wellbeing especially in older adults. To cope with stressful situation, it is important to encourage older adults to increase the closeness to their social network.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34247344
doi: 10.1007/s40520-021-01927-7
pii: 10.1007/s40520-021-01927-7
pmc: PMC8272682
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
2623-2631Subventions
Organisme : PRIN
ID : 201755TKFE
Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
© 2021. The Author(s).
Références
Gerontology. 2016;62(4):450-8
pubmed: 26974682
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2021 Jan 18;76(2):e30-e37
pubmed: 32674138
J Gerontol. 1972 Oct;27(4):511-23
pubmed: 5075497
J Gerontol. 1993 Jan;48(1):P1-11
pubmed: 8418144
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2021 Jan 18;76(2):e24-e29
pubmed: 32470120
J Pers Assess. 1983 Jun;47(3):305-6
pubmed: 6886962
Age Ageing. 2020 Jul 1;49(4):501-515
pubmed: 32377677
Psychol Aging. 1997 Dec;12(4):590-9
pubmed: 9416628
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2002;55(4):299-319
pubmed: 12735544
Psychol Sci. 2020 Nov;31(11):1374-1385
pubmed: 33104409
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2014 May;69(3):366-75
pubmed: 23682165
Int J Behav Dev. 2014 Mar 1;38(2):195-202
pubmed: 24910483
Am J Epidemiol. 2002 Jun 15;155(12):1081-7
pubmed: 12048221
Aging Ment Health. 2021 Jul;25(7):1305-1313
pubmed: 33291987
Front Psychol. 2021 Mar 02;12:646558
pubmed: 33737899
Am Psychol. 1999 Mar;54(3):165-81
pubmed: 10199217
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2004 Sep 29;359(1449):1367-78
pubmed: 15347528