Moderating Effect of Social Support Between Loneliness and Depression: Young-Old and Old-Old Adults

Depression increases suicidal risk lowers quality of life in older adults. However, it is unknown how loneliness and depression are associated with young-old and old-older adults. This study examined association of loneliness and depression from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) (2015-2016), estimating moderating effects of social support. The sample of this study was community dwelling Medicare beneficiaries aged 65+ (n=1,532): young-older adults (n=903) and old-older adults (n=629). Loneliness was measured by the Revised University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale short form (3 items; young, M=.86, SD=.73; old, M=.87, SD=.67; range 0-3). Social support consists of two variables each measured by 4 items, spouse/partner support (young, M=2.29, SD=.50; old, M=2.26, SD=.51; range 0-3) and family support (young-old, M=2.19, SD=.52; old-old, M=2.23, SD=.52; range 0-3). Depression was measured by Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (11 items, young, M=1.41, SD=.42; old, M=1.45, SD=.42; range 1-4). Multiple linear regression was used in this study, including relevant covariates. Findings indicated loneliness in both groups (young, p<.001; old, p<.001), spouse support in both groups (young, p<.001; old, p<.001) had statistical significance in depression. Family support in young-older adults (p<.05) had a statistical significance for depression. Interaction of loneliness and spouse support moderated the relationship between loneliness and depression in old-older adults (p<.05). Findings suggest old-older adults’ loneliness and depression could be soothed by spousal support. Spousal support could be important in that the informal caregiver is likely to focus on older adults with fragility at the end of their lives.

The Mediating Role of Self-esteem between Spousal Support and Infertility-related Stress among Infertile Couples: Actor Effects and Partner Effects

The purpose of this study was to examine actor and partner effects among infertile couples in determining whether self-esteem affects the degree of infertility-related stress via perceived spousal support. The sample comprised 219 couples who experienced infertility, each of whom completed an online survey. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, t-test, correlation analysis and APIM (Actor-Partner Interdependence Model) were performed using SPSS 25.0 and Mplus 7.3 program. The main results were as follows. First, the actor effect of spousal support on self-esteem was significant in both husbands and wives. Second, the actor effects of spousal support on infertility-related stress and self-esteem on infertility stress were significant only in husbands. Third, in the association between husbands’ and wives’ spousal support and infertility-related stress, three mediating pathways via husband’s self-esteem were found to be significant. Based on these results, the necessity for a couple-level analysis in infertility research, psycho-emotional interventions for infertile couples, and implications for follow-up studies were discussed.

Spousal support during pregnancy in the Nigerian rural context: a mixed methods study

Background Pregnancy constitutes a global health concern, thus the need for spousal support during this period cannot be overemphasized. This study examined the kinds of support pregnant women expected and received from their spouses as well as the effect of such supports during pregnancy, labour, and delivery. Methods The study adopted both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The respondents were selected using multistage and simple random sampling techniques. Results Findings showed that respondents expected and received maximum support from their spouses during pregnancy, labour, and delivery. Spiritual support such as praying and fasting was top of the kinds of support pregnant women expected and received from their husbands during pregnancy and delivery. Others include helping in house chores, financial provision, taking care of other children, accompanying to labour room, and sexual support. More than three-quarters of the respondents stated that maximum support from their husbands made pregnancy, labour, and delivery easier. Cramer’s V showed that the association between support and husbands’ occupation was 0.233 and Pearson Chi-square showed that the association was statistically significant χ2(2) = 27.894,p < .001. Conclusion The study concluded that spousal support during pregnancy was high among rural women in Southwestern Nigeria, and it impacted positively on their wife’s period of pregnancy, labour, and delivery. A high level of spousal support should be sustained to promote family bonding and development as well as reduce maternal and child mortality.