ArticleInternational journal of behavioral medicine2024
The Role of Social Isolation on Mediating Depression and Anxiety among Primary Family Caregivers of Older Adults: A Two-Wave Mediation Analysis.
Article in International journal of behavioral medicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sequential mediation of social resources, affiliate stigma, loneliness, and positive aspects of caregiving among Chinese and Korean American dementia caregivers.International journal of nursing sciences · 2026Article
- Stress and coping experiences of Black family cancer caregivers: a qualitative investigation.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Advancing women's mental health: Recommendations from a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine workshop.PNAS nexus · 2026Article
- Impaired Daily Activities due to Cognitive Decline among Older Koreans Living with a Family Member with Dementia.Annals of geriatric medicine and research · 2026Article
- Family polyvictimization in households with parental health conditions: a cross-sectional study of disparities and risk factors.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Loneliness in caregivers of people with chronic illnesses: conceptual analysis according to Walker and Avant.Revista brasileira de enfermagem · 2026Article
- Caregiver Mental Health Across Generations.Journal of family issues · 2025Article
- Together, but Isolated: A Dyadic Study of Social Isolation in Older Adults and Caregivers.Journal of aging and health · 2025Article
- The longitudinal impacts of secondary caregiver networks on primary caregiver's social isolation and depression.Innovation in aging · 2025Article
- The Epidemiology of Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Family and Unpaid Caregivers of Older Adults: Findings From the National Study of Caregiving.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2025Article
- Social contextual factors, social support and accessibility of social services in the health and life satisfaction of family caregivers in Hong Kong.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Impact of Informal Caregiving at Older Ages on Loneliness and Social Networks in Singapore.Gerontology · 2025Article
- The impact of multidisciplinary accompaniment interventions on negative emotions and caregiving ability of family members of ostomy patients: exploring the mediating effect of social isolation.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Mental health outcomes and rehabilitation challenges in children with orthopedic trauma: a public health survey from a pediatric rehabilitation center.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- The impact of alexithymia, anxiety, social pressure, and academic burnout on depression in Chinese university students: an analysis based on SEM.BMC psychology · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPrimary family caregivers of older people with chronic care conditions are highly vulnerable to social isolation and psychological strains such as depression and anxiety due to their demanding responsibilities. This study examines how social isolation mediates the relationship between caregiving stress and mental health symptoms of primary family caregivers.
methodsThe analytic sample included 881 primary caregivers of older adults from the 2015 and 2017 National Study of Caregiving (NSOC). Social isolation was measured using a composite structure that includes objective social disconnectedness and subjective loneliness. Two-wave mediation models were estimated to examine longitudinally if social isolation mediated the relationship between caregiving stress (subjective & objective stress) and mental health symptoms (depression & anxiety) of primary caregivers.
resultsThe study findings indicate that both subjective (β = 0.32, p < 0.001) and objective stress (β = 0.21, p = 0.003) have direct effects on depression among primary caregivers. Social isolation was found to only mediate the relationship between objective stress and depression (β = 0.18, p < 0.001). In contrast, no significant direct and indirect pathway was found in the anxiety model.
conclusionsThe study demonstrates the internal mechanism where objective strains of caregiving make family caregivers socially isolated, which in turn leads to increased symptoms of depression. Future interventions and practices aimed at improving the psychological well-being of family caregivers should prioritize strategies aimed at increasing social engagement, particularly for those with heavy caregiver burdens.
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