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Spouse's subjective social status predicts older adults' prospective cognitive functioning
Fan Zhang1, Helene Fung2, Timothy Kwok3
1a The Nethersole School of Nursing , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Shatin , Hong Kong.
Aging & Mental Health
|December 7, 2017
Summary
Subjective social status (SSS) in older couples, particularly among those with lower education, can influence a spouse's cognitive function. A wife's higher SSS was linked to her husband's better cognitive health, partly through increased housework.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Subjective social status (SSS) is increasingly recognized as a determinant of health outcomes.
- Cognitive functioning declines with age, making it crucial to identify protective factors in older adults.
- Dyadic relationships in older couples may play a significant role in health, yet their influence on cognitive health is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between subjective social status (SSS) and cognitive functioning in older adults and their spouses.
- To explore the mediating roles of health habits and physical activities in the SSS-cognitive functioning relationship.
- To examine dyadic effects of SSS on cognitive health within older couples.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 512 older couples (aged 65-91).
- Measured SSS using a social ladder and cognitive functioning via Mini-Mental State Examination over 4 years.
- Employed an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, testing education as a moderator and physical activity/health habits as mediators.
Main Results:
- A partner effect of SSS was observed in the low-education group: wives' higher SSS predicted husbands' better cognitive functioning.
- This effect was partially mediated by housework, where wives' higher SSS led to husbands' increased housework, associated with better cognitive function.
- No significant direct effects of SSS on one's own cognitive functioning or partner's functioning were found in the higher-education group.
Conclusions:
- Subjective social status can have dyadic influences on cognitive health in older couples, particularly in lower socioeconomic strata.
- Housework engagement may be a pathway through which SSS influences cognitive health in older men.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering social and relational factors in promoting cognitive well-being in aging populations.
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