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

Carly Roman (), Christopher R. Beam and Elizabeth Zelinski
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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
Elizabeth Zelinski: Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-15

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.

Keywords: age integration; psychosocial well-being; well-being; social engagement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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