COVID-19-Related Loneliness and Psychiatric Symptoms Among Older Adults: The Buffering Role of Subjective Age.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The study examined whether subjective age moderated the relationship between loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic and psychiatric symptoms.

Methods

A convenience sample of older adult Israelis (N = 277, mean age = 69.58 ± 6.72) completed web-based questionnaires comprising loneliness, anxiety, depressive, and peritraumatic distress symptoms. They also reported how old they felt.

Results

The positive relationship between loneliness due to the COVID-19 pandemic and psychiatric symptoms was weak among those who felt younger than their age while this very same relationship was robust among those feeling older.

Conclusions

Young subjective age may weaken the loneliness-symptom association among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults hol

SUBMITTER: Shrira A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7251397 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature