Social anxiety and loneliness among older adults: a moderated mediation model

Few studies have clarified the mechanisms linking social anxiety and loneliness in older populations. The study aimed to explore how social network mediate the relationship between social anxiety and loneliness in older adults, with perceived social support playing a moderating role.

A total of 454 older patients completed the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, Lubben Social Network Scale-6, Chinese version of the Short Loneliness Scale and Perceived Social Support Scale. Bootstrap and simple slope methods were used to test the moderated mediation model.

Social anxiety had a significant positive predictive effect on loneliness and social network partially mediated this relationship. The relationship between social anxiety and social network, as well as the relationship between social network and loneliness, was moderated by perceived social support. Specifically, perceived social support buffered the effects of social anxiety on social network, but the buffering effect diminished with increasing levels of social anxiety. On the social network and loneliness pathway, the social network of older persons with higher perceived social support has a stronger prediction of loneliness.

The study found that social anxiety can contribute to loneliness by narrowing older adults' social network. High perceived social support can buffer this process, but do not overstate its protective effects. Thus, interventions to reduce social anxiety and improve social network and social support may help prevent and alleviate loneliness in older adults.