Multi-group Structural Equation Modeling Analysis Research Articles

The Influence of Perceptions of the Park Environment on the Health of the Elderly: The Mediating Role of Social Interaction

The aging population has brought increased attention to the urgent need to address social isolation and health risks among the elderly. While previous research has established the positive effects of parks in promoting social interaction and health among older adults, further investigation is required to understand the complex relationships between perceptions of the park environment, social interaction, and elderly health. In this study, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine these relationships, using nine parks in Wuhan as a case study. The findings indicate that social interaction serves as a complete mediator between perceptions of the park environment and elderly health (path coefficients: park environment on social interaction = 0.45, social interaction on health = 0.46, and indirect effect = 0.182). Furthermore, the results of the multi-group SEM analysis revealed that the mediating effect was moderated by the pattern of social interaction (the difference test: the friend companionship group vs. the family companionship group (Z = 1.965 > 1.96)). Notably, family companionship had a significantly stronger positive impact on the health of older adults compared to friend companionship. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms through which urban parks support the physical and mental well-being of the elderly and provide a scientific foundation for optimizing urban park environments.

The relationship of depression, anxiety, and stress with pregnancy symptoms and coping styles in pregnant women: A multi-group structural equation modeling analysis

BackgroundThe changes during pregnancy can increase susceptibility to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and stress, which is why coping strategies are so important. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between depression, anxiety, stress, pregnancy symptoms and coping styles in pregnant women across trimesters, using a multigroup structural equation model. MethodsThis cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 301 pregnant women who applied to the prenatal clinic of a state university's medical faculty. A hypothetical model was created based on transactional stress and coping theory and literature reviews. Data were collected using a participant information form, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the Pregnancy Symptom Inventory and the Stress Coping Styles Scale. ResultsAmong pregnant women, 40.9 % had symptoms of stress, 52.8 % of anxiety and 37.2 % of depression. Pregnancy symptoms and emotion-focused coping are positively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress (β = 0.468–0.590; β = 0.222–0.373 respectively). Problem-focused coping is negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. (β = -0.255:-0.389). Problem-focused coping is negatively associated with pregnancy symptoms in the whole sample (β = -0.121) and in the third trimester (β = -0.124). The model explained 51 % of the variance in the 1st, 42 % in the 2nd, and 64 % in the 3rd trimesters. ConclusionThis study showed that problem-focused coping strategies are negatively associated with depression, anxiety and stress and play an important protective role in this context. These findings contribute to understanding the factors affecting mental health during pregnancy and emphasize the importance of developing problem-focused coping skills for pregnant women.

The antecedents, outcomes and mediating role of inclusion at work

PurposeThe current study heeds prior calls to test the hypothesis that perceptions of inclusion mediate the relationship between inclusive practices and employee outcomes.Design/methodology/approachUsing responses from 3,367 employees drawn from three time-separated surveys administered between 2020 and 2022 within a large retail fashion chain, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to examine the mediating role of perceptions of inclusion connecting inclusion’s antecedents and outcomes. Exploratory multigroup SEM and relative weights analysis was conducted to examine the relative contribution of each antecedent of perceptions of inclusion across racial/ethnic groups.FindingsWe identified manager support, career support, organizational support, transparency, and employee recognition as antecedents of perceptions of inclusion, as well as work engagement, organizational commitment, and intent to stay as outcomes of perceptions of inclusion. Recognition indirectly relates to employee outcomes via perceptions of inclusion, but we did not find evidence of mediation for the other antecedents. Exploratory analyses suggest that career support and employee recognition are the most predictive antecedents of perceptions of inclusion overall. However, there are racial/ethnic group differences regarding which inclusive practices most contribute to perceptions of inclusion.Originality/valueResults uncover several directions for future research and suggest that to truly make employees feel both included and unique at work, organizations should focus on supporting employees' career development goals and recognizing their valuable contributions.

Modeling the influence of connected vehicles on driving behaviors and safety outcomes in highway crash scenarios across varied weather conditions: A multigroup structural equation modeling analysis using a driving simulator experiment

Equipped with advanced sensors and capable of relaying safety messages to drivers, connected vehicles (CVs) hold the potential to reduce crashes. The goal of this study is to assess the impacts of CV technologies on driving behaviors and safety outcomes in highway crash scenarios under diverse weather conditions, including clear and foggy weather. A driving simulator experiment was conducted and the multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to explore the complex interrelationships between the propensity of traffic conflicts, utilization of CV alerts, weather, psychological factors, driving behaviors, and other relevant variables for two different crash locations, namely a straight section and a horizontal curve. Two latent psychological factors including aggressiveness and unawareness were constructed from driving behavior as vehicles passed by crash scenes such as brake, throttle, steering angle, lane offset, and yaw. The SEM can measure latent psychological factors and model interrelationships concurrently through a single statistical estimation procedure. Results of the multigroup SEM showed that CV alerts could significantly reduce the unawareness on a horizontal curve and thus lower the propensity of traffic conflicts. Additionally, the overall effect of foggy weather on conflicts was found to be positive on a horizontal curve, despite the potential benefit of improving situational awareness. In contrast, the single group SEM failed to reveal any significant interrelationships in its structural model by pooling data from both crash locations. The obtained insights can guide the development of driving assistance systems, highlighting the necessity of customization considering weather conditions and location-specific factors.

Exploring the influence of emotionality and expertise on online wine reviews: does greater knowledge lead to less review?

Purpose Wine producers and marketing professionals increasingly recognize the significance of online wine reviews. Emotions have long been acknowledged as influential in online review behaviors. However, considering the multisensory nature of the wine experience, consumers’ wine expertise also plays a substantial role. Hence, this study aims to examine the online review behaviors exhibited by wine consumers through the dual lens of wine expertise and emotionality. Design/methodology/approach Two studies were conducted to address the research question. Study 1 explored the relationship among expertise, emotionality and review behaviors using a panel data model, with a data set consisting of 4,600,922 reviews from Vivino.com. Study 2 used a multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis using data obtained from an online survey. Study 2 aimed to investigate the interactive impact of emotionality and expertise on online review intention mediated by customer engagement. Findings The findings from Study 1 demonstrated a positive correlation between emotionality and online wine reviews. In addition, expertise displayed a bell-shaped relationship with both emotionality and online wine reviews. Study 2, in turn, uncovered that novices and experts experienced a direct influence of emotionality on their review intentions. In contrast, for those classified as ordinary, the influence of emotionality on review intention occurred indirectly through the mediation of customer engagement. Originality/value This paper extends the current literature on online wine review by integrating the effect of emotion and expertise on online wine review behaviors, expanding the examination of Dunning–Kruger effect in the wine literature. It also adds value by introducing emotionality and the Evaluative Lexicon into the hospitality literature, extending the measurement of emotion from valence and extremity to a third dimension, emotionality, in hospitality and wine domains.

Reciprocal Path Model of Autonomous Motivation and Motivational Regulation: Socially Shared Regulation in Intellectual Group Activities

Self- and social regulation are widely expected to increase autonomous motivation; however, few empirical studies have examined the reciprocal influences of autonomous motivation and motivational regulation. This study examined the reciprocal path model between autonomous motivation and three modes of motivational regulation (self-, co-, and socially shared regulation) in intellectual group activities by comparing university students with working adults. The participants were 181 university students and 295 working adults who completed an online questionnaire consisting of psychological measurements. With respect to autonomous motivation and the three modes of motivational regulation, a bidirectional model of university students and working adults was established and statistically analyzed on the basis of two time points of data, one month apart (T1 and T2). The hypothesized path model had a good fit through a multi-group structural equation modeling analysis. Autonomous motivation at T1 positively predicted socially shared regulation, co-regulation, and self-regulation at T2, one month later, for both groups. However, the three modes of regulation did not positively or significantly predict autonomous motivation in either group. Considering the reciprocal influences of autonomous motivation and motivational regulation, we discuss the necessity of implementing these practices in universities and workplaces.

Testing an extended theory of planned behaviour in predicting Covid-19 vaccination intention over the course of the pandemic: A three-wave repeated cross-sectional study

BackgroundMass vaccination against Covid-19 has been recognised as the most effective strategy for overcoming the pandemic emergency and remains crucial in the ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of the virus. The present study aimed to test the efficacy of an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) model in predicting vaccination intention in three different phases of the pandemic. Understanding how psychological drivers of vaccine acceptance may have changed throughout the pandemic is essential for informing public health strategies and addressing vaccine hesitancy, even in the current post-pandemic context. MethodsUsing a repeated cross-sectional survey, we tested the hypothesised extended TPB model (intention, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, anticipated affective reactions, risk perception, trust in science, trust in institutions and religiosity) across three independent samples: before (T1: November–December 2020; N = 657), during (T2: March–May 2021; N = 818), and after (T3: February–March 2022; N = 605) the start of the vaccination campaign in Italy. ResultsResults indicated significant differences between the time points in all investigated variables, pointing to a general trend of improvement in vaccine acceptability levels at T2 compared to T1, and a worsening at T3 compared to the other two time points. Interestingly, net of these differences, a multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analysis supported the invariance, across time, of the structural relationships examined within the extended TPB. ConclusionFindings demonstrated the efficacy of the TPB in predicting Covid-19 vaccination intention at different stages of the pandemic, suggesting that the model, in its extended version, represents a valuable framework for designing interventions aimed at promoting vaccine acceptance.

How does transport development contribute to rural income in China? Evidence from county-level analysis using structural equation model

Transport development has often been regarded as a solution for increasing rural income. However, most existing studies focusing on the promotion effects of transport development on rural income fail to provide quantitative analysis of its influencing pathways. This study investigates the pathways linking county-level transport development to rural income in China. We first examined the spatial pattern of transport development, including density, proximity, and accessibility, in all Chinese counties from 2014 to 2019. Then, we analyzed both the association and influencing pathways between transport development and rural income using structural equation modeling (SEM). Finally, we compared the various effects and pathways among counties with different terrains, geographical locations, and poverty conditions through multigroup SEM analysis. The results suggest that transport development is associated with an increase in rural residents’ income primarily through the pathways of increasing nonfarm employment ratios, improving agricultural labor productivity efficiency, boosting urbanization rates, and enhancing access to basic public services. The most significant pathways through which transport development contributes to rural income growth in China are changes in nonfarm employment ratios and urbanization rates. The impact of transport development on rural incomes is more pronounced for counties in plain areas than counties in hilly and mountainous areas, more substantial in eastern counties than in central and western counties, and more pronounced in non-poverty-stricken counties than poverty-stricken ones. It is argued that transport alone cannot lead to significant rural revitalization in rural China; it must be accompanied by industrial development strategies.

Influence of medical care tasks on subjective burden and gain among older adults’ family caregivers: structural equation modeling for testing the role of formal and informal support

BackgroundThe number of caregivers performing medical care tasks at home for older adults is expected to increase. Family caregivers, who are not healthcare professionals, are likely to find these activities difficult and burdensome. However, appropriate support may decrease the negative and increase the positive aspects of caregiving. This study investigated direct associations between caregivers providing medical care at home and their negative and positive appraisals of caregiving (burden and gain), indirect associations through healthcare professional support and informal support, and whether the associations between medical care tasks and caregivers’ appraisals of caregiving differed based on the support received.MethodsInterview surveys were conducted in 2013, 2016, and 2019 in a Tokyo Metropolitan Area city with family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults who were certified as requiring care in Japan’s long-term care insurance system. This study analyzed the combined data from each survey (n = 983). Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was utilized to examine direct associations between providing medical care and caregiver appraisals and indirect relationships through healthcare professional support and informal support. The modulating effects of these forms of support on the relationship between medical care and caregiver appraisals were assessed using multigroup SEM analyses.ResultsApproximately 9% of family caregivers provided medical care at home. The results of SEM analyses, controlled for care recipients’ physical and cognitive difficulties; caregivers’ age, sex, and economic condition; and survey year, revealed no direct associations between providing medical care and caregivers’ sense of burden and gain. They also did not reveal any indirect effects through either healthcare professional support or informal support. However, the results of multigroup SEM analyses indicated that caregivers providing medical care who used home-visit services by physicians and/or nurses, compared to those who did not, tended to exhibit a greater sense of gain.ConclusionsThese results suggest that family caregivers providing medical care at home can positively change their appraisals of caregiving if they receive appropriate support. Home medical care services provided by healthcare professionals can effectively support caregivers. Developing strategies and policies to make medical care services at home more accessible to caregivers is crucial.

Effects of psychological symptoms on life adjustment among survivors of humidifier disinfectants.

The humidifier disinfectant catastrophe in South Korea was a social disaster caused by toxic chemical substances. The present study aimed to examine the relationships between psychological symptoms and adaptive life functioning in survivors of humidifier disinfectants. This study examined the differential effects of psychological symptoms on life adjustment between survivors of humidifier disinfectant and the general population. A total of 452 individuals (228 general and 224 survivor groups) participated in this research. This study utilized the Adult Self-Report, one of the most widely used comprehensive mental health scales for measuring both psychological symptoms (e.g., anxiety/depression) and life adjustment functioning (e.g., interpersonal relationship). For the data analysis, multi-group structural equation modeling analysis was conducted using AMOS 21.0 program. The results of this study indicated that attention problems out of 8 psychological symptoms was the only significant factor related to life adjustment in both general and survivor groups. In addition, there was a significant 2-way interaction effect of group status and somatic complaints on life adjustment. When the somatic complaint symptom was higher, participants in the survivor group were less likely to adjust in life than the general group. Taken together, the somatic complaints of the survivors more strongly influence the life adjustment than the general population. Finally, the authors discuss practical implications for survivors of humidifier disinfectants for designing suitable intervention strategies.Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(5):596-605.

The impact of school climate on teacher enthusiasm: the mediating effect of collective efficacy and teacher self-efficacy

ABSTRACT This study investigated the critical roles of school climate and efficacy (collective teacher efficacy and teacher self-efficacy) in teachers’ enthusiasm throughout their teaching careers. Based on multigroup structural equation modelling and mediation analysis of a sample of 4594 primary school teachers in China, this study found that school climate significantly affected teachers’ enthusiasm. Furthermore, collective teacher efficacy had a stronger mediating effect than teacher self-efficacy on the relationship between aspects of school climate and teachers’ enthusiasm. Among the four aspects of school climate, teachers’ perception of student relations had the strongest influence on novice, mid-and late-career teachers’ enthusiasm. Moreover, the practical implications of the findings for improving teachers’ enthusiasm at different stages of their careers are discussed.

Exploring and Measuring Quality of Life Determinants of Wage Workers in Egypt: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

AbstractThis paper aims to identify the major significant dimensions that contribute to the overall quality of life (QOL) of wage workers in Egypt. As the QOL is a complex, multidimensional, and interdisciplinary concept, forty-seven indicators under five domains were chosen to investigate the QOL determinants of wage workers in Egypt, namely job characteristics, job satisfaction, ICT access, gender equality and women empowerment, and neighborhood services and utilities. Using data from the 2018 wave of the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey, the paper employed structural equation modelling (SEM) approach to investigate the impact of proposed dimensions on the overall QOL. In addition, multi-group SEM analysis was implemented to measure how people differ in the way they assess their QOL on the basis of various moderating variables such as the geographical region of residence, age group, and years of schooling. The findings showed the significant impact of the chosen dimensions on the overall QOL. Moreover, the multi-group models showed a significant variation among compared groups, in which the weights of dimensions vary due to the differences in socio-cultural characteristics and the surrounding environment, confirming the complexity of such a concept. As people usually differ in the way they assess their QOL, which is affected by their characteristics and priorities.

Acquiring Sustainability in The Prospect of Digital Transformation Through Global Brain-Reflective Accounting Practices Application

The current research conceptualizes and validates a model concentrating on how policy initiatives foster the big data management capabilities (BDMC) to achieve sustainability. Additionally, it also pursues to delve into the mediation mechanism of Global brain reflective management accounting practices (GBAP) in the linkage between BDMC and sustainability. Outstandingly, it makes several endeavors to deepen insight on whether the extent of the effect of BDMC on GBAP and the effect of GBAP on sustainability vary resting on specific degree of innovation human resource management (IHRM). The statistical data of a convenient and snowball sample of 612 participants was gathered from a structured and close-ended questionnaire survey. In order to bring forth the proposed hypothesized interconnections, the fundamental analytical instrument utilized was structural equation modeling (SEM). Additionally, multi-group SEM analysis was also applied to corroborate the moderating effects of IHRM. Beyond ameliorating the insight into how intersection of accounting practices and new technologies could make a huge contribution to BDMC enhancement to reach the sustainability paradigm, the observations of this research gave rise to the practical implications for the practitioners in organizational management and policy-makers in promulgating rules in relation to digital transformation implementation within small and medium enterprises.

The effect of social media influencer marketing on sustainable food purchase: Perspectives from multi-group SEM and ANN analysis

This study examines the impact of social media influencers' (SMIs) intimate self-disclosure, environmental concern, and spending self-control on consumers' sustainable food purchase intention and explores the mediating effect of consumption value. It ranks the relative importance of these factors and measures generational differences on the impact of SMIs. Data from 628 respondents obtained via an online survey was analyzed using a dual-stage multi-group structural equation model (SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. The SEM revealed that SMIs' intimate self-disclosure, environmental concern, and spending self-control positively affected sustainable food purchase intention by mediating social and epistemic values. A multi-group analysis of the SEM found no significant generational differences. The ANN indicated that consumer purchases of sustainable food were primarily associated with SMIs’ spending self-control followed by their environmental concern. The ANN predicted consumer sustainable food purchase intention with 99.4% accuracy. Theoretically, this study enhances the knowledge of how consumers internalize social media influencer marketing (SMIM) and encourages their endorsement of sustainable foods by introducing TCV into the SOR framework. It also refutes the view that SMIs are significant only for younger generations and reveals the relative importance of SMIs impact factors from a non-linear perspective. From a practical perspective, we offer a specific SMIM investment strategy to maximize consumers' sustainable food purchases and several persuasive strategies for SMIs as opinion leaders. From a societal perspective, this research promotes sustainable development, human health, and a sustainable food economy.

The impact of emotional intelligence, increasing job demands behaviour and subjective well-being on teacher performance: teacher-gender differences

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the critical roles of emotional intelligence, increasing job demands behaviour and subjective well-being in teachers' performance throughout their gender.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the authors used multi-group structural equation modelling and mediation analysis of a sample of 602 primary school teachers in Iran.FindingsThis study found that emotional intelligence significantly affected teachers' performance. Teachers' emotional intelligence and increasing job demands behaviour were significant predictors of teacher performance in both genders. Furthermore, increasing job demand behaviour had a stronger mediating effect than subjective well-being on the relationship between emotional intelligence and teachers' performance in both genders.Originality/valueThis model is an attempt to examine possible gender differences on the relationships between teachers' emotional intelligence and their job performance by mediating roles of subjective well-being and increasing job demands behaviours in a specific societal and educational context.

Dietary supplement use and its related factors among Chinese international and Korean college students in South Korea.

The consumption of dietary supplements has shown an increase among young people in their 20s. We aimed to compare the use of dietary supplements and related factors between Chinese international and Korean college students living in South Korea. We conducted online surveys of 400 Chinese international students and 452 Korean college students from January to February 2021. We analyzed the factors related to the use of dietary supplements by these students using multi-group structural equation modeling and logistic regression analysis. Approximately 65% of the Chinese international students and 93% of the Korean college students consumed dietary supplements at least once in the year preceding the survey. The common types of dietary supplements consumed by both groups of students were vitamin and mineral supplements, Lactobacillus products, and red ginseng products. Structural equation modeling showed that perception of the consumption of dietary supplements by family and friends positively influenced attitude toward dietary supplements. This effect was higher for Korean college students than for Chinese international students (P < 0.01). Attitude toward dietary supplements positively influenced their use, and this effect was higher for Chinese international students than for Korean college students (P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the use of dietary supplements by Chinese international students was significantly associated with age, self-reported health status, interest in health, perception of and attitude toward dietary supplements, and length of residence in South Korea. Among Korean college students, it was associated with exercise frequency and attitude toward dietary supplements. This study showed significant differences in the use of dietary supplements and related factors between Chinese international and Korean college students. Therefore, nutrition education programs on dietary supplements need to have differentiated content for each group. Such differences also suggest that the industry should consider the relevant characteristics of college students while developing and marketing dietary supplements.

학생 참여형 수업, 학생 참여, 자아개념, 의사소통 역량 사이의 구조적 관계

The purpose of this study is to analyze the mediating effect of student engagement and self-concept in the structural relationship between student participatory class and communication competency. By dividing groups according to the class size (the number of students per class) that may affect the operation of student-participatory classes, the differences in variables that directly or indirectly affect communication competency development were analyzed to obtain implications for communication competency development. To this end, a multi-group structural equation model analysis was conducted using data from the 6th year of the Korea Education Development Institute's Korean Education Longitudinal Study. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the student-participatory class method had a positive effect on communication competency in all groups, and the group with a small class size had a more positive effect on communication competency development than the group with a large class size. The self-concept had a positive effect on the development of communication skills in all groups, but student engagement was significant only in groups with a large class size, and the effect was found to be small. In addition, it was found that there was a mediating effect of self-concept in the relationship between student participatory teaching methods and communication competencies. In order to cultivate communication skills, it is necessary to consider the introduction of various student participatory teaching methods, and research on various measures to form positive self-concepts of students is necessary.

Decision-Making in Virtual Reality Sports Games Explained via the Lens of Extended Planned Behavior Theory.

This study aims to determine whether the effect of interactivity on participation in virtual sports has risen because of the COVID-19 pandemic and if there is a difference in decision-making. The significance of social factors may be highlighted even more as a rationale for using virtual reality (VR) sports apps throughout the prolonged COVID-19 epidemic. A model was built based on the literature to describe the intention to participate in VR sports, and eight associated hypotheses were established. A sample of 301 submissions from a user poll on Korea's cycling information sharing website was used for our analysis. SPSS 23.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) and AMOS 18.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) were used to validate Hypotheses 1-8 using a multigroup structural equation model (SEM) analysis and multigroup analysis. Although some hypotheses were not validated, the impact of perceived interaction presented as an extra variable altered based on the group participating before and after the COVID-19 epidemic, and the study's goal was achieved. Given that information technology has evolved by overcoming physical space and socio-cultural constraints to create a society that connects people, the importance of online interaction, such as networking and competition between users, will be emphasized in the VR sports field in the future.

Electric vehicle adoption intention in the Himalayan region using UTAUT2 – NAM model

Electric vehicles (EVs) can significantly lower transport fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Therefore, the Indian Government is vigorously promoting the adoption of EVs. Himachal Pradesh has become one of the leading states to start the adoption of EVs for public transport in India. Based upon the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) and norm activation model (NAM), an integrated model of potential consumers’ adoption intentions was built. A questionnaire survey was carried out among potential consumers in Himachal Pradesh, India. Data were obtained from potential consumers’ (N = 309) and were assessed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings show that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, and personal norms have significant positive effects on consumers’ intentions to adopt EVs. However, effort expectancy, social influence, and habit do not significantly impact adoption intention. In addition, the multi-group SEM analysis of different age groups showed significant differences in social influence and hedonic motivations in the path of consumer adoption intention. Finally, implications for policymakers and future research directions are discussed.

Contributions of early-life cognitive reserve and late-life leisure activity to successful and pathological cognitive aging

BackgroundThe identification of factors that specifically influence pathological and successful cognitive aging is a prerequisite for implementing disease prevention and promoting successful aging. However, multi-domain behavioral factors that characterize the difference between successful and pathological cognitive aging are not clear yet.MethodsA group of community-dwelling older adults (N = 1347, aged 70-88 years) in Beijing was recruited in this cross-sectional study, and a sub-cohort was further divided into successful cognitive aging (SCA, N = 154), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, N = 256), and cognitively normal control (CNC, N = 173) groups. Analyses of variance, regression models with the Shapley value algorithm, and structural equation model (SEM) analyses were conducted to determine specific influencing factors and to evaluate their relative importance and interacting relationships in altering cognitive performance.ResultsWe found that abundant early-life cognitive reserve (ECR, including the level of education and occupational attainment) and reduced late-life leisure activity (LLA, including mental, physical, and social activities) were distinct characteristics of SCA and MCI, respectively. The level of education, age, mental activity, and occupational attainment were the top four important factors that explained 31.6% of cognitive variability. By SEM analyses, we firstly found that LLA partially mediated the relationship between ECR and cognition; and further multi-group SEM analyses showed ECR played a more direct role in the SCA group than in the MCI group: in the SCA group, only the direct effect of ECR on cognition was significant, and in the MCI group, direct effects between ECR, LLA and cognition were all significant.ConclusionsResults of this large-sample community-based study suggest it is important for older adults to have an abundant ECR for SCA, and to keep a high level of LLA to prevent cognitive impairment. This study clarifies the important rankings of behavioral characteristics of cognitive aging, and the relationship that ECR has a long-lasting effect on LLA and finally on cognition, providing efficient guidance for older adults to improve their cognitive function and new evidence to explain the heterogeneity of cognitive aging.