TY - JOUR
T1 - Social Support and Commitment to Life and Living
T2 - Bidirectional Associations in Late Life over Time
AU - Carmel, Sara
AU - O’Rourke, Norm
AU - Tovel, Hava
AU - Raveis, Victoria H.
AU - Antler, Naama
AU - Cohn-Schwartz, Ella
N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This study was funded by the US–Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF #2008312), the Abraham and Sonia Rochlin Foundation, and the Israel Ministry for Senior Citizens. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/7/7
Y1 - 2023/7/7
N2 - Objectives: This study aims to enhance the understanding of longitudinal associations between two important facets of well-being in late life: social support and commitment to life and living (CTL). Methods: Structured home interviews were conducted with 824 Israelis ≥75 years of age, with three annual data collection timepoints. We hypothesized and tested a cross-lagged, longitudinal structural equation model (SEM) in which CTL and social support were assumed to predict each other over time, covarying for previously reported CTL and social support. Results: Social support has a positive, contemporaneous effect, predicting commitment to living at T1 and T3, while CTL predicts social support the following year (i.e., T1–T2 & T2–T3). Satisfaction with relationships significantly contributes to measurement of both latent constructs at each point of data collection. Discussion: Commitment to life and living and social support are intertwined phenomena. Whereas social support has a concomitant effect on CTL, the effect of CTL on social support emerges over time. This suggests that greater social support fosters greater CTL, leading older adults to nurture social networks and relationships; the effect of which is greater social support in the future. The implications of these results warrant further research over longer periods and across cultures.
AB - Objectives: This study aims to enhance the understanding of longitudinal associations between two important facets of well-being in late life: social support and commitment to life and living (CTL). Methods: Structured home interviews were conducted with 824 Israelis ≥75 years of age, with three annual data collection timepoints. We hypothesized and tested a cross-lagged, longitudinal structural equation model (SEM) in which CTL and social support were assumed to predict each other over time, covarying for previously reported CTL and social support. Results: Social support has a positive, contemporaneous effect, predicting commitment to living at T1 and T3, while CTL predicts social support the following year (i.e., T1–T2 & T2–T3). Satisfaction with relationships significantly contributes to measurement of both latent constructs at each point of data collection. Discussion: Commitment to life and living and social support are intertwined phenomena. Whereas social support has a concomitant effect on CTL, the effect of CTL on social support emerges over time. This suggests that greater social support fosters greater CTL, leading older adults to nurture social networks and relationships; the effect of which is greater social support in the future. The implications of these results warrant further research over longer periods and across cultures.
KW - commitment to living
KW - fear of death
KW - fear of dying
KW - late life
KW - will to live
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85165083428&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131965
DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131965
M3 - Article
C2 - 37444799
SN - 2227-9032
VL - 11
JO - Healthcare (Switzerland)
JF - Healthcare (Switzerland)
IS - 13
M1 - 1965
ER -