|
KMID : 0379220160360010001
|
|
Journal of Korea Gerontological Society
2016 Volume.36 No. 1 p.1 ~ p.20
|
|
|
The Effect of Voluntariness in Residential Decisions on Depression among the Elderly Living Alone: Does Elderly Parents’ Relationship with Children Mediate This Effect
|
|
Hwang So-Yeon
Ha Jung-Hwa
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
This study aims to investigate (1) whether voluntarily choosing to live alone affects depression among the elderly living alone, and (2) the mediating effect of the parent-adult child relationship. Data were acquired from the National Survey on Korean Older Persons(2011). The analytic sample includes 1,926 older adults who are living alone and have had children. Multiple regression models and Sobel test were performed to verify the significance of the mediation effect. The main results are as follows. First, those older adults who voluntarily chose to live alone showed lower levels of depression than those who did not. Second, these older adults also showed more postive parent-adult child relationship. Third, parent-child relationship partially mediated the effect of voluntariness in residential decisions on depression of the elderly living alone. These findings suggest that voluntariness in residential decisions work as a protective factor in reducing depression and improving parent-adult child relationships. Thus, assessing the level of voluntariness in residential decisions among the elderly before or after living alone can help practitioners develop preventive intervention strategies for decreasing depression of the elderly living alone. Further, our finding that voluntariness in residential decisions affect older adults’depression through improved parent-adult child relationship suggests that maintaining control over residential choice can enhance not only the mental health of older adults but also their relationship with adult children.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
voluntariness in residential decisions , elderly living alone , depression , parent-adult child relationship , control , exchange theory
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|