THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SELF-EFFICACY ON HOPEFULNESS IN LOW-INCOME OLDER ADULTS AGED 50 AND OVER

Abstract

Abstract Background Social support and self-efficacy play a significant role in improving positive psychological well-being in marginalized older adults. However, to date, there are few studies on identifying the relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the effect of social support and self-efficacy on hopefulness in marginalized low-income older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study used baseline data from a clinical trial designed to increase COVID-19 testing in Essex County, NJ. The dataset involved participants aged 50 and over. We conducted: 1) cross-sectional descriptive/frequency statistics to understand the sociodemographic characteristics, 2) multivariate linear regression to investigate the direct relationships between social support subscales or self-efficacy and hopefulness, and 3) mediation analyses to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between social support and hopefulness. Results After adjusting for covariate variables, social support subscales (emotional/informational social support: b = 0.20, p < 0.05; tangible social support: b = 0.13, p < 0.05; affectionate social support: b = 0.17, p < 0.05; positive social interaction social support: b = 0.15, p < 0.05) and self-efficacy (b = 0.55, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with hopefulness. The indirect effect of social support via self-efficacy was positive and statistically significant (Effect = 0.14, Bootse = 0.04, BootLLCI - BootULCI = 0.06 - 0.23) Conclusion Self-efficacy mediated the relationship between social support and hopefulness in marginalized older adults aged 50 and over. Further research needs to identify the various facets of positive psychological well-being using longitudinal data and larger sample size.