新冠肺炎疫情下居家老年人的情绪优势与家庭支持效应

Affective Advantage and the Protective Effect of Family Support among Elders in the COVID-19 Pandemic

老年人的情绪调节策略及心理优势与青年人不同,心理健康服务工作者需根据年龄特点提供有针对性的健康服务。本研究探讨了新冠肺炎疫情高峰期湖北地区居家老年人、青年人情绪症状和社会支持系统的年龄差异,以及家庭支持对心理健康的可能保护效应。结果表明,老年人的焦虑、抑郁情绪症状并不比青年人多,且感受家庭支持显著大于青年人,感受朋友支持、其他支持显著小于青年人;年龄显著调节社会支持与情绪症状的关系,即老年人家庭支持缓解情绪症状的效应量更大,而青年人朋友支持与其他支持缓解情绪症状的效应量更大;进一步分析老年人数据,发现家庭关系需要满足中介家庭支持与情绪症状关系。本研究揭示了老年人的情绪优势及通过家庭关系应对疫情压力的社会情绪选择效应,这意味着帮助老年人维系良好的家庭关系是心理健康服务的重要切入点。

It has been long established that the elders have different life goals and regulation strategies from those in the youths,and that the elders focus more on strong ties(e.g.,family)which help maintain meaning and well-being.The present research was conducted to test the age difference in affective symptoms(e.g.,anxiety,depression)and social support(e.g.,family,friend,and others),and the effect of family on mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic.The results reveal that elders and youths reported a comparable level of anxiety and depression among elders versus youths.And as compared to the youths,elders perceived stronger family support and lower support from friends and others,and the elders'affective symptoms were buffered more by family support than by friend and other support,while the youths'affective symptoms were buffered more by friend or other support than by family support.Further analysis of the elders'psychological needs showed that satisfaction with the need for family relationship was negatively related to affective symptoms,and fully mediated the relationship of family support to mental symptoms.Taken together,the current findings demonstrate the elders'affective advantages and their preference for family in coping with stress of COVID-19 pandemic,suggesting that the age difference in socioemotional selectivity and social support should be concerned as positive resources in mental health services.