Impact of Social Network Size and Contact Frequency on Resilience in Community-Dwelling Healthy Older Adults Living Alone in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of social health and its association with resilience among older adults living alone excluded from the public care service due to their relatively good health. For this cross-sectional study, we surveyed older adults aged between 65 and 80 years using questionnaires to measure the social health status and levels of resilience of the participants. We conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to confirm the association between resilience and social network. Finally, data from 266 community-dwelling older adults were analyzed. We discovered that participants had social networks with a mean score on the Lubben Social Network Scale 18.13 ± 7.98, which means they were socially isolated. The network size (standardized β = −0.149, p < 0.05) and contact frequency (standardized β = 0.136, p < 0.05) correlated positively with higher levels of resilience. A hierarchical model accounted for 48.0% of the variance in resilience. The results suggested that interventions by the public health service to protect social health are needed for older adults living alone even when they are physically, emotionally, and cognitively healthy. In addition, smaller network size and higher frequency of contacts may be considered to strengthen resilience, which is a protective factor in social health.

What Builds Resilience? Sociodemographic and Social Correlates in the Population-Based LIFE-Adult-Study

“…In addition, we examined the association of social support and social network with resilience. Previous research found that both variables were associated with resilience [ 14 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. Until now, it has been unclear how these variables are associated with resilience when controlled for each other.…”

“…Previous research identified social support as a relevant resilience resource in particularly burdened individuals [ 14 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. In addition, Park et al [ 26 ] and Wells [ 27 ] found that a larger social network was associated with higher resilience in older adults. Social variables like social support and social network are strongly interdependent and might have overlapping influences in the prediction of mental health outcomes [ 28 ].…”

Does personality shape the personal social networks of older Europeans?

“…In addition, a large part of recent research concentrates on the personal social network (or egocentric network), that is, the specific collection of social ties that are most meaningful to a given person (Cornwell et al 2009). Different aspects of the social network are variously related to outcomes of gerontological interest, such as life satisfaction (Rafnsson et al 2015), resilience (Park et al 2021), psychological distress (Phongsavan et al 2013) and mortality (Ellwardt et al 2015;Lund et al 2000).…”

Sociodemographic and social correlates of self-reported resilience in old age—results from the population-based LIFE-Adult-Study

“…Soziale Ressourcen hängen maßgeblich mit der selbstberichteten Resilienz zusammen [ 27 ]. Erste Studien in anderen Ländern zeigen eine hohe Bedeutsamkeit von sozialen Ressourcen für selbstberichtete Resilienz in älteren Stichproben [ 28 , 29 ]. Inwieweit die Befunde dieser Studien auf die deutsche Altenbevölkerung übertragbar sind, ist unklar, da die Bedeutung sozialer Kontakte auch von der jeweiligen Kultur abhängt [ 30 ].…”