Assessment of Social Cognition in Frail Older Adults and Its Association With SocialFunctioning in the Nursing Home

Abstract

Measures of social cognition assess a domain of functioning that is not evaluated by traditional tests of cognitive status. These measures are informative about frail, older adults' ability to understand and respond to others and could be used to predict patterns of social functioning in nursing homes and other naturalistic settings.

Extraversion personality, perceived health and activity participation among community-dwelling aging adults in Hong Kong

“…Its positive association with activity level provides significant support to the barrier (rather than compensation) proposition. Mental health impairments can harm aging adults’ sense of surroundings and inner behavioral motivation mechanisms to enter social contexts for activity participation [41]. As interpersonal barriers, limitations in mental strength, mood, and cognition can dramatically reduce a person’s capacity and intention to participate in activities [41].…”

“…Mental health impairments can harm aging adults’ sense of surroundings and inner behavioral motivation mechanisms to enter social contexts for activity participation [41]. As interpersonal barriers, limitations in mental strength, mood, and cognition can dramatically reduce a person’s capacity and intention to participate in activities [41]. Social stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness can also represent interpersonal barriers and isolate people from activities [53].…”

“…For example, depression has been found to be inversely correlated with participation in cognitive activities [7]. Cognitive impairment has been associated with a decline in participation in physical, passive, cultural, and leisure activities [40], while social cognition has been positively associated with social functioning [41]. In addition to direct impacts on self-perceived control (capacity) and motivation, mental impairment might also affect interpersonal barriers to activity participation, such as rejection and exclusion by others.…”

Dynamic Longitudinal Associations Between Social Support and Cognitive Function: A Prospective Investigation of the Directionality of Associations

“…Social causation hypothesizes that better social support ( Seeman, Lusignolo, Albert, & Berkman, 2001 ) and larger social networks ( Béland, Zunzunegui, Alvarado, Otero, & Del Ser, 2005 ) retard cognitive decline, aligned with social integration theory reviewed by Berkman, Glass, Brissette, and Seeman (2000) . Conversely, health selection operates if cognitive limitations affect quantity ( Aartsen, van Tilburg, Smits, & Knipscheer, 2004 ) and quality ( Gurung, Taylor, & Seeman, 2003 ) of social relationships, due to reduced social functioning ( Washburn, Sands, & Walton, 2003 ) and diminished social reciprocity ( Lang, Wagner, & Neyer, 2009 ). The direction of health selection effect is unclear.…”

Theory of mind, social functioning, and awareness of ability in older adults.

“…There have only been two studies that examined the direct relationship between ToM and social relations in older adults. While one study found that nurses ratings' of nursing home residents' social functioning were predicted by their performance on a ToM task (Washburn, 2003), the other study found no relationship between ToM and pro social behaviors in healthy older adults living in the community (Washburn et at, 2003;.…”