Resilience, Identity Tension, Hope, Social Capital, and Psychological Stress During a Pandemic

Aims: The present study set out to investigate the relation of psychological stress to cognitive performance and its interplay with key life course markers of cognitive reserve and social capital in a large sample of older adults. Methods: We assessed cognitive performance (verbal abilities and processing speed) and psychological stress in 2,812 older adults. The Participants reported information on education, occupation, leisure activities, family, and close friends. Results: Greater psychological stress was significantly related to lower performance in verbal abilities and processing speed. Moderation analyses suggested that the relations of psychological stress to cognitive performance were reduced in individuals with higher education, a higher cognitive level of the first profession practiced after education, a larger number of midlife leisure activities, a larger number of significant family members, and a larger number of close friends. Conclusion: Cognitive reserve and social capital accrued in early and midlife may reduce the detrimental influences of psychological stress on cognitive functioning in old age.

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Influences of Social Capital on Natural Disaster Research in Japan

Journal of Sustainable Development ◽

10.5539/jsd.v10n3p46 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 46 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ayano Yamaguchi ◽

Min-Sun Kim ◽

Atsushi Oshio ◽

Satoshi Akutsu

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Literature Review ◽

Psychological Stress ◽

Well Being ◽

Theoretical Development ◽

Disaster Research ◽

The Social ◽

Fresh Insight ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Insight Into

The purpose of this study is to seek fresh insight into those aspects of social capital that increase individuals' health and well-being after a disaster such as the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. This paper is organized as follows. The theoretical development of the social capital is presented in a literature review. Then, the design and results of the free answers in the open-ended question is described. Finally, this study investigates whether previous findings on the bright and dark sides of social capital and psychological stress are confirmed and highlights how the bright and dark sides of social capital has affected psychological stress, health, and well-being in Japanese disaster context. In other words, the significant mechanisms and roles of social capital in a disaster context is explored. Based on the findings, the theoretical and practical contributions of this study to disaster research are discussed.

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