Investigating the Mediating Role of Anxiety and Loneliness in the Relationship between Sense of Coherence and Mental Health in the Elderly

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Psychology, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran

2 Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Psychology, Sistan and baluchestan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran

4 Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran

5 Department of Psychology, Marvdasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht

Abstract

Background: The concept of sense of coherence (SOC) plays a crucial role in safeguarding the well-being of the elderly.
 
Objectives: The present study was conducted to investigate the mediating role of anxiety and loneliness in the relationship between SOC and mental health in the elderly.
 
Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted based on a cross-sectional research methodology. The target population for this study consisted of all elderly individuals in Shiraz from July to October 2023, comprising 980 individuals. The selection of clinics was based on available methods, and a simple random sampling technique was used for data collection. The research utilized various tools, including the Beck Anxiety Scale, Riff Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire, Russell Loneliness Questionnaire, and Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence Questionnaire. To test the research hypotheses, the structural equation modeling method was employed using SPSS version 27 and Smart PLS 3 software. The Sobel test was conducted to assess the significance of mediating variables.
 
Results: The findings indicated that SOC had a significant direct impact on mental health (β=0.415, P<0.01). Anxiety was found to have a direct negative impact on mental health (β=-0.207, P<0.01). Loneliness was also discovered to have a direct negative impact on mental health (β=-0.365, P<0.01). Furthermore, the mediating variables in the study were deemed significant according to the Sobel test.
 
Conclusion: The research findings indicated a clear and significant correlation between SOC and mental health in the elderly. This suggests that enhancing SOC in older individuals can also improve and bolster their mental well-being. The study revealed that anxiety and loneliness could have an adverse impact on the relationship between SOC and mental health in elderly individuals. It was found that seniors experiencing anxiety and loneliness were more likely to develop mental health issues. In light of these results, it is recommended to focus more on enhancing SOC in the elderly.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

Acknowledgments

The researchers would like to express gratitude to all the individuals who took part in the study, as their participation was essential for the completion of this research.

 

Availability of data and materials: The study's dataset can be accessed by contacting the author either during the submission process or after the publication of the study.

 

Conflicts of interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

 

Consent for publication: The authors grant permission to publish the work by signing the Consent to Publish form and sending it to the Publisher.

 

Ethics approval and consent to participate: This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Islamic University of Hamedan branch with the Ethics Code IR.IAU.H.REC.1402. 216. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The present study was conducted in terms of the principles of the revised Declaration of Helsinki.

Financial disclosure: This study did not receive any financial backing.

Author contributions: S. A.: Contributed to the conception of the work, revising the draft; O.T.: Approving the final version of the manuscript, S. A.: Agreeing on all aspects of the work; S.L. and O. T.: Contributed to the data analysis and interpretation, critical revision, and approval of the final version of the manuscript; N. R. and GH. KH.: Contributed to acquiring data, drafting the manuscript, and approving the final version; S.L. and N. R.: Contributed to the conception and design of the study, critical revision, and approval of the manuscript's final version; GH. KH.: Contributed to the conception and design of the study, data interpretation, drafting of the manuscript and critical revision, and approval of final version.

 

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Available Online from 15 January 2025

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