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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
11:13
The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
Stressors social support and elder mistreatment
1a Department of Social Work , National University of Singapore , Singapore.
Aging & Mental Health
|September 16, 2015
Summary
Interpersonal relationship strain and loneliness increase elder mistreatment. Social support can mitigate these negative effects, offering a protective buffer against mistreatment for older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Social Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Elder mistreatment is a significant public health concern.
- Interpersonal relationship strain and loneliness are identified risk factors for elder mistreatment.
- Social support is hypothesized to play a protective role.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how interpersonal relationship strain and loneliness influence elder mistreatment.
- To examine the mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between interpersonal strain and mistreatment.
- To test the moderating effect of social support on the association between stressors and elder mistreatment.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative study involving 897 older adults in rural Tamil Nadu, India.
- Face-to-face interviews were conducted for data collection.
- Mediation and moderation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro.
Main Results:
- Loneliness partially mediated the relationship between interpersonal problems and elder mistreatment.
- Social support significantly buffered the direct effect of interpersonal strain on mistreatment.
- Social support also moderated the indirect effect of interpersonal strain on mistreatment through loneliness.
Conclusions:
- Interpersonal strain and loneliness are significant pathways to elder mistreatment.
- Social support acts as a crucial buffer, mitigating the impact of these stressors.
- Interventions should focus on reducing risk factors and enhancing social resources to prevent elder mistreatment.
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