Impact of spousal congruence on emotional perception on solitude in older couples: a response surface analysis

Solitude is a common yet nuanced experience in later life, but how older couples jointly experience and perceive solitude remains underexplored. This study examines the influence of congruent and incongruent emotional states between spouses on their subjective experience of solitude, with particular attention to potential gender differences. Understanding this relational dynamic may provide insights to support emotional well-being among aging couples.

A total of 73 older couples aged 60 to 100 years in Hong Kong SAR, China, participated in this study. Participants completed online questionnaires and Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA) twice daily for 14 days. Polynomial longitudinal regression models and Response Surface Analysis (RSA) were employed to explore the relationship between congruence and discrepancy in positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) between spouses and their perceived solitude.

Significant associations were found between spousal congruence in NA and perceived solitude for both genders, with women showing a more pronounced impact when perceiving greater NA than their partners (women: a ₁ = 0.389, p < .001; a ₂ = 0.360, p <.001; a ₃ = 0.559, p <.001; men: a ₁ = 0.494, p < .001; a ₂ = 0.333, p <.001; a ₃ = 0.452, p < .001). For PA, women experienced increased solitude when perceiving greater PA than their partners (a ₁ = -0.285, p < .001; a ₄ = 0.429, p < .001), whereas men's solitude was affected by both congruence and incongruence in PA (a ₁ = -0.224, p < .001; a ₃ = -0.228, p < .001).

Spousal emotional congruence significantly influences perceptions of solitude, differing by gender. Interventions should target emotional communication skills, couple-based therapy, and support groups to enhance relational dynamics, reduce loneliness, and promote emotional well-being in older adults navigating solitude together.