Patterns Of Social Participation Research Articles

The impact of intergenerational support on social participation patterns of older adults in rural China.

This study aimed to examine the association between different dimensions of bi-directional intergenerational support and the social participation patterns of rural older adults, while also exploring the heterogeneity of these older adults by gender and age. Based on longitudinal survey data from the 'Well-Being of Older People in Anhui Province (WESAP)' in 2018 and 2021, this study used latent class analysis to identify social participation patterns and used multinomial logistic regressions to explore the relationship between intergenerational support and social participation patterns among rural older adults. First, the social participation patterns of rural older persons can be divided into four categories: leisure type (9%), work type (11%), housekeeping type (57.9%) and family labor type (22.1%). Second, there is heterogeneity in the relationship between intergenerational support and social participation patterns in older people, among them, receiving financial support decreased the likelihood of older adults being categorized as work type and family labor type by 14 and 7.7%, respectively, while providing financial support increased the likelihood of older adults belonging to the family labor type by 7.5%; receiving caring support increased the likelihood of older parents being categorized as leisure type by 6%, while providing caring support decreased the likelihood of older parents being categorized as leisure type by 10%; emotional support is related to all patterns of social participation among older adults. Third, the effects of intergenerational support vary across subgroups based on gender and age. Two-way intergenerational support was significantly associated with social participation among rural older adults, and there was significant heterogeneity in this association. Children and older persons should be encouraged to strengthen two-way intergenerational mobility to give full play to the positive impact of different dimensions of intergenerational support on the social participation of older persons in rural areas, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for rural older adults.

Social Participation Patterns Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Roles of Community Social Cohesion and Health.

The objectives of this study were to investigate groupwide variations in social participation among older adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and how such variations were associated with their community social cohesion and health. Data were from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2019-2020; n = 2,597 adults aged 65 or older). Latent class analysis was used to identify groupwide variations in social participation. These variations were then incorporated into adjusted regressions to test relationships with social cohesion and health. Four participation patterns emerged: active, selective independent, occasional, and selective religious participants. Selective independent and occasional participants were likely to live in less socially cohesive communities. During the pandemic, active participants were likely to report better self-rated health and lower risks of depressive and anxiety symptoms and dementia. Findings highlight directions for policy and intervention design that can enhance social participation and support healthy aging.

Motor Skills, Social Skills, and Participation of Autistic Children

Generally, participation levels of autistic children are lower than neurotypical children in social and physical activities. The range of activities that autistic children participate in is also less diverse. Building on previous qualitative work, the current research provides a quantitative perspective to explore the relationship between social skills and motor skills in autistic children, and the association with participation at home, school, and in the community. Caregivers and their 5-to-11-year-old autistic children participated in this research. Motor skills were assessed with performance-based (BOT-2-SF) and caregiver-report measures (MABC-2 checklist). Caregivers also completed questionnaires to quantify social skills (SRS-2) and participation (PEM-CY) patterns. Motor assessments were not correlated, suggesting use of the MABC-2 checklist in conjunction with the BOT-2-SF may not be well-suited for younger participants. Discordant results of proxy (i.e., social/motor skills predicted participation frequency at school, with social skills contributing to the model) and performance-based (i.e., social/motor skills predicted participation frequency at home, and average involvement in the community) reports were attributed to caregiver's focus on fine motor performance in school-based settings, considering the established link between social and fine motor skills in autism. Non-significant findings were explained by heterogeneity in social/motor skills among autistic children. Overall, while continued research is warranted, findings support a person-centered (i.e., individualized) approach to address participation of autistic children.

SOCIAL PARTICIPATION AND DEPRESSION AMONG HONG KONG OLDER ADULTS: THE MODERATING ROLE OF DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Abstract Depression is a significant public health issue among older adults. Active social participation is crucial for older people to promote mental well-being. Previous studies mainly focused on the impacts of offline social activities on older people’s mental health, despite that digital participation has substantially changed their patterns of social participation in the context of Covid-19 pandemic. Extending the use of Activity Theory to digital context, this study investigated how social participation in three types of activities (i.e., formal, informal and solitary activities) and digital engagement independently and jointly influenced mental health among Hong Kong older adults. Data from 5,007 participants were drawn from the baseline survey of the Panel Study of Active Ageing and Society, a biannual longitudinal survey conducted with a representative sample of ageing Chinese adults aged 50 years and above in Hong Kong. Exploratory factor analysis, ordinary least squares regression analysis and mediation analysis were conducted. The results showed that participation in informal and solitary activities was related to less depressive symptoms, while participation in formal activities was related to more depressive symptoms but higher life satisfaction. Although the main effect of digital engagement on depressive symptoms was not significant, more digital engagement reduced the negative effect of formal activities and decreased the effect of informal activities in reducing depressive symptoms. The findings have implications for policy-making and intervention development to encourage and balance social and digital participation among ageing populations.

Environment profiles, social participation patterns, depressive symptoms and quality of life of disabled older adults: a longitudinal investigation

Objectives This study used the World Health Organization’s healthy ageing framework to explore longitudinal influences of environment profiles and social participation (SP) patterns on depressive symptoms (DSs) and on quality of life (QOL). Methods Data were collected from a sample of community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan in 2018 (T1; N = 1,314) and a follow-up survey in 2020 (T2; N = 831). Latent class analysis was conducted to obtain environment and SP profiles. Multilevel modeling was carried out to explicate the hypothesized associations. Results Three unique environment profiles, labeled as Highly- (Highly-FE), Moderately- (Moderately-FE) and Weakly-Facilitative Environment (Weakly-FE), were identified from T1 data. The three SP classes that were obtained from T1 and T2 data denoted High-, Moderate- and Low-SP. Participants in the ‘Highly-FE’ class were more likely to belong to the ‘High-SP’ and ‘Moderate-SP’ subgroups and exhibited significantly fewer DSs and better QOL. The associations were confirmed both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Conclusion Interventions should be developed to promote or maintain preferred SP to maximize the current and future mental health and subjective well-being of disabled older adults.

Well-being implications of immobility during COVID-19: evidence from a student sample in Bangladesh using the satisfaction with life scale.

Immobility is known to impact health and well-being by reducing social contact, activity participation, and changing time use patterns. These unfortunate effects mostly affect specific demographic segments, including older adults, low income families, people who face disabilities, and those living in conflict zones. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic mandated or strongly recommended limitations to mobility, thereby causing this condition for segments of the public not usually characterized by high levels of immobility. In the context of the pandemic, reduced mobility was the non-pharmaceutical intervention of choice, and the evidence suggests that it helped to keep incidences of the disease from exploding. On the other hand, there is also a need to understand how mobility restrictions may have had incidental impacts, including to well-being, in population groups that have not been studied from this perspective before. In this spirit, the present paper uses the items of the Satisfaction with Life Scale to investigate how aspects of well-being changed during the pandemic, using a sample of 400 college and university students in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Analysis is based on multivariate ordered models and the results suggest that being less mobile, less active, and changes in activity time use due COVID-19 had an impact on the satisfaction with life of students. The detrimental effect was more marked for males and students from low-income households. Additionally, perceptions of residential characteristics and sense of belonging also correlate with satisfaction with life in the period under study.

Patterns of social participation and impacts on memory among the older people.

This study employs latent class analysis to analyze the social participation patterns of elderly Chinese, as well as the impact of different social participation patterns on memory. According to the results, older persons exhibit four distinct social participation patterns. and senior citizens with a strong emphasis on entertainment had a better memory than those with a low participation level. Although there was no difference in urban elders' memory across the four social engagement patterns, the connection varied significantly between urban and rural seniors. As a result, it is suggested that the elderly's memory be improved by protecting their right to social involvement, enriching the style and content of social participation, and assuring the continuity of their social obligations.

A multilayered network analysis of social participation in the management of Marine Protected Areas in Brazil

Effective implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) networks depends on social participation into management. In this study, a multilayered network analysis was used to understand patterns of social participation in MPA management in Brazil. To this end, managers were invited to answer an online questionnaire about interaction with social actors in 7 management activities. Engagement in management activities was represented as interactions between social actors and MPAs. Different types of management activity were represented as separate layers. All responding MPAs (n = 22) reported interactions with social actors, resulting in a network with 141 nodes connected by 182 edges. Governmental Organizations (GO) prevailed in surveillance and formal training activities, research was dominated by universities, monitoring activities were shared mainly by universities and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and community groups only had strong participation in environmental education activities. The network had low “edge loss” resilience with dependency on the participation of social actors in the management councils to maintain its current levels of connectivity. GOs that have important roles in the protection of terrestrial ecosystems have a restricted impact as higher-level coordinators of MPAs activities. Thus, the capacity building falls mainly on individual MPAs. Management councils are supposed to be the “town halls” where the different social sectors come together to discuss environmental problems in Brazil. However, some constraints must still exist, since only 51 % of Brazilian MPAs have legally instituted their councils. We suggest that their effective implementation, as ordered by law, is the best starting point to improve the dismal situation of Brazilian MPAs.

Effects of social participation patterns and living arrangement on mental health of Chinese older adults: A latent class analysis.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to discover patterns of social participation among Chinese older individuals, investigate the links between these patterns and their living arrangements and mental health, and connect these patterns to their background characteristics.MethodsData were drawn from the 2014 and 2018 waves of Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) from 2537 Chinese elders aged 60 years and over at the baseline. Latent class analysis was used to determine the patterns of social participation. Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between patterns of social participation and the sociodemographic and health characteristics of older adults. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the differences and associations between these categories and living arrangement on mental health status, represented by positive and negative emotions.ResultsThree patterns of social participation were identified: Low activity (17.5%, n = 443); Moderate activity (36.2%, n = 1,176); and High activity (46.3%, n = 918). At baseline, these patterns were significantly associated with mental health status. Positive and negative emotions were much better in the High activity group than in the other two groups (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.05–1.76 and OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.16–1.93). Living arrangement only significantly affected negative emotions (OR=1.25, 95% CI = 1.02–1.53). Age, gender, education, marital status, self-rated health, and activities of daily living limitations all affected social participation patterns.ConclusionsThe patterns of social participation and living arrangement of Chinese older adults are significantly associated with mental health. Population-tailored interventions may help liberate older adults from domestic labor and improve social participation. Moreover, family support can decrease negative emotions' damage in old age thus promoting health.

Neighborhood environment, healthy aging, and social participation among ethnic minority adults over 50: the case of the Turkish-Speaking community in London

ABSTRACT Social participation has been recognized as an important component of healthy aging. At the same time, research has identified the central role of the neighborhood environment in determining healthy aging and social participation in old age. However, there is a paucity of research exploring the everyday lives of adults over 50 from ethnic minority backgrounds in relation to social participation and place. This paper focuses on the experiences of social participation among the Turkish-speaking community in north London. We undertook 48 semi-structured individual interviews and five community mapping workshops with 17 participants, all with people over 50, in London between March and November 2017. We supplemented these activities with 13 interviews with professional participants as coordinators of Turkish/Kurdish community associations. We thematically analyzed these interviews and mapping workshops and identified three interconnected themes: “feelings of security in the neighborhood,” “density and diversity,” and “proximity to ethnic amenities” to explain participants’ social participation patterns within the context of their neighborhood. The findings articulate the pathways through which personal characteristics and perceived identities intersect with the physical, social and cultural environment of the neighborhood to shape opportunities for social participation among Turkish-speaking adults over 50.

Impact of the Changes in the Frequency of Social Participation on All-Cause Mortality in Japanese Older Adults: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study.

Previous studies have shown that more frequent social participation was associated with a reduced risk of mortality. However, limited studies have explored the changes in the frequency of social participation in older adults. We investigated the impact of the changes in the frequency of social participation on all-cause mortality in Japanese older adults aged 60 years and older. The current study, conducted as a secondary analysis, was a retrospective cohort study using open available data. The participants were 2240 older adults (45.4% male and 54.6% female) sampled nationwide from Japan who responded to the interview survey. Changes in the frequency of social participation were categorized into four groups (none, initiated, decreased, and continued pattern) based on the responses in the baseline and last surveys. The Cox proportional-hazards model showed a decreased risk of all-cause mortality in decreased and continued patterns of social participation. Stratified analysis by sex showed a decreased risk of mortality in the continued pattern only among males. The results of the current study suggest that the initiation of social participation at an earlier phase of life transition, such as retirement, may be beneficial for individuals.

Social Participation Patterns and Well-Being Among Older Adults: Findings From the United States, the UK, and China

This study used Latent Class Analysis to examine patterns of social participation among older adults in the US, the UK, and China, from the three nationally representative surveys conducted in 2018-2019: The Health and Retirement Study, the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, and the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Although the profiles of social participation were distinctively different, several common patterns were found: Comprehensive Participants, Occasional Participants, and Deficient Participants. It was estimated that less than 10% of older adults from these countries were extensively engaged in social participation. Seventy-seven percent of Chinese older adults were shown being “Deficient Participants”, and the percentages were 29% and 20% in the US and the UK, respectively. The findings showed positive associations of levels of participation with socioeconomic status and health. The magnitudes of these associations varied across the nations. Actions are needed to promote levels of participation for Chinese older adults.

Social Engagement and Well-Being Among Chinese Older Adults

Social engagement is increasingly recognized as a protective factor to promote healthy aging. This symposium provides new findings on social participation and social isolation in relation to individuals’ health and well-being among the Chinese populations. Using the 2002¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬–2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, the first study examined the trends of leisure activity engagement among young-old adults aged 65–74 in China over a 16-year period. Findings revealed a general downward trend of engaging in any form of social leisure activity and upward trends for engaging in home-bound and solitary leisure activities. Similarly, the second study examined social participation patterns and individual factors associated with these patterns using three nationally representative data in China, UK, and US. Their findings highlighted several underlying participation patterns across these nations as well as differences in how socio-demographics were associated with these patterns. Using data collected among Chinese older adults in Hawaii, the third study examined the associations of social isolation with psychological well-being. Results showed that social isolation was positively related to psychological distress, and negatively related to life satisfaction and happiness. These associations were partially mediated by resilience. Their findings revealed the detrimental health effects of social isolation. Using the same dataset in Hawaii, the last study examined the associations between neighbourhood conditions and psychological well-being for Chinese older adults. Their findings revealed that both physical and social neighbourhood conditions were associated with psychological well-being, particularly for foreign-born older adults, and psychological resources such as self-management abilities could mediate the associations.

Formal and informal social participation and elder mistreatment in a national sample of older adults.

Older adults' susceptibility to mistreatment may be affected by their participation in social activities, but little is known about relationships between social participation and elder mistreatment. Cross-sectional analysis. National probability sample of older community-dwelling U.S. adults interviewed in 2015-2016, including 1268 women and 973 men (mean age 75 years and 76 years, respectively; 82% non-Hispanic white). Frequency of participation in formal activities (organized meetings, religious services, and volunteering) and informal social activities (visiting friends and family) was assessed by questionnaire. Elder mistreatment included emotional (four items), physical (two items), and financial mistreatment (two items) since age 60. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between each type of social participation and elder mistreatment among men and women, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, and comorbidity. Forty percent of women and 22% of men reported at least one form of mistreatment (emotional, physical, or financial). Women reporting at least monthly engagement in formal social activities were more likely to report emotional mistreatment (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-2.33). Among men, monthly organized meeting attendance was associated with increased odds of emotional mistreatment (AOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01-1.93). Weekly informal socializing was inversely associated with emotional mistreatment (AOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.44-0.78) and financial mistreatment (AOR 0.59, 95% CI 0.42-0.85) among women. In this national cohort, older adults who were frequently engaged in formal social activities reported similar or higher levels of mistreatment than those with less frequent organized social participation. Older women with regular informal contact with family or friends were less likely to report some kinds of mistreatment. Strategies for detecting and mitigating elder mistreatment should consider differences in patterns of formal and informal social participation and their potential contribution to mistreatment risk.

Social participation patterns and the incidence of functional disability: The Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.

To examine whether patterns of social participation vary in their associations with functional disability. Data from 44 978 participants (22 750 men and 22 228 women) who participated in the 2010 Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study were analyzed; a study of those aged ≥65 years from 23 municipalities in eight prefectures. Social participation information was obtained at baseline with an eight-item questionnaire. Incidence of functional disability from 2010 to 2013 was defined as a new certification of eligibility for municipal public long-term care insurance. Social participation patterns were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and participants were classified into quartiles of factor scores of social participation patterns. A competing risk model was used to calculate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the incidence of functional disability in 3 years of follow-up. Two social patterns were identified: sports groups/clubs and hobby groups, and political groups/organizations and industry/trade associations. For both patterns, compared with participants in the lowest quartile, participants in the highest quartile were more likely to be male, college educated, high-income and current drinkers. Both patterns were associated with reduced incidence of functional disability (adjusted hazard ratios for top quartile of sports and hobby pattern: 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.59, 0.74; for political and industry/trade pattern: 0.81, 95% confidence interval: 0.72, 0.90; P for trend <0.001 for both). Those whose social participation patterns were characterized by frequent participation in sports groups/clubs and hobby groups or political groups/organizations and industry/trade associations were less likely to develop a functional disability. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 765-772.

Participation in leisure activities in adolescents with congenital heart defects.

To describe leisure participation in adolescents with congenital heart defects (CHD) and identify factors associated with intensity of participation. Eighty adolescents with CHD were recruited (39 males, 41 females; mean age [SD] 15y 8mo [1y 8mo] range 11y 5mo-19y 11mo) of whom 78 completed the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) outcome measure of leisure participation. The measure has five subscales: recreational, active-physical, social, skill-based, and self-improvement. Associations between the CAPE and age, sex, and development were examined. Motor ability (Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition), cognition (Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised), behavior (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and motivation (Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire) were assessed. Participants exhibited impaired motor (43.5%), behavioral (23.7%), and cognitive (29.9%) development. The most intense participation was in social (mean [SD] 3.3 [0.99]) and recreational (2.9 [0.80]) activity types on the CAPE. Male sex (p<0.05) and younger age were associated with greater physical activity (<15y: 1.87; ≥15y: 1.31, p<0.05). Greater engagement in social activities was related to better cognition (r=0.28, p<0.05), higher motor function (r=0.30-0.36, p<0.01), and fewer behavioral difficulties (r=-0.32 to -0.47, p<0.01). Cognitive ability (r=0.27, p<0.05), dexterity and aiming/catching (r=0.27-0.33, p<0.05), and behavior problems (r=0.38-0.49, p=0.001) were correlated with physical activity participation. Persistence in tasks, an aspect of motivation, correlated with physical (r=0.45, p<0.001) and social activity involvement (r=0.28, p<0.05). Ongoing developmental impairments in adolescents with CHD are associated with decreased active-physical and social engagement, putting them at risk of poor physical and mental health. Health promotion strategies should be considered. Adolescents with congenital heart defects (CHD) have limited engagement in active-physical leisure activities. Cognitive, motor, and behavioral impairments are associated with decreased participation in leisure in children with CHD. Female sex and older age are associated with less engagement in leisure. Mastery motivation correlates with participation, suggesting an avenue for intervention.

Patterns of social participation among older adults with disabilities and the relationship with well-being: A latent class analysis

AimLiving with a chronic condition or a disability at older age impacts social participation. Social connections and social activities seem interrelated leading to heterogeneous patterns in social participation. The aim of this study was to identify a typology in social participation among older adults with disabilities, and to relate this typology to their background characteristics and well-being measures. MethodsA total of 1775 older adults with disabilities or chronic conditions aged 65–97 were sampled from a nationwide panel study in the Netherlands. Social participation was assessed by various measures related to social connections, social informal activities, voluntary work, effort to increase social participation, and online social participation. A latent class analysis was carried out to identify a typology of social participation. Differences between these classes were explored with multinomial regression analyses and pairwise comparisons. ResultsFour classes were found: social withdrawers (22.5%, n = 399), proximate social dwellers (14.5%, n = 257), moderately active social dwellers (37.2%, n = 660) and pro-active social dwellers (25.9%, n = 459). Background characteristics, such as living alone and severity of disability, differed significantly among classes. Regarding well-being measures, it appeared that pro-active social dwellers had the most positive scores. Social withdrawers were most prone to reduced life satisfaction and health related quality of life and increased loneliness and experienced participation restrictions. ConclusionsA typology with four patterns based on a wide spectrum of social participation aspects in older adults with disabilities was identified. This typology may help to assess the risk for reduced well-being of older adults with disabilities.

Social participation patterns and their associations with health and well-being for older adults.

Older adults are at an elevated risk of adverse health effects associated with social isolation and loneliness. Social participation is considered a modifiable determinant of health and well-being and has been proposed as a means to reduce this risk. However, there is limited knowledge to date about patterns of social activities among older adults. Using two waves of the Swiss Household Panel, a latent class analysis is performed to obtain discrete social participation profiles of adults aged 60 and older. Descriptive statistics and regression methods are used to study group compositions and estimate associations with self-assessed health, negative and positive affect, and life satisfaction. Once individual time-constant characteristics are controlled for, the majority of the positive associations between social participation and health or well-being found in the pooled data becomes small and insignificant, which is indicative of self-selection into different activity profiles. The role of self-selection into social participation implies that the design of interventions targeting social participation in the older adult population should be tailored to their heterogeneous needs and preferences.

Friendships and patterns of social leisure participation among Norwegian adolescents with Down syndrome.

A first generation of adolescents with Down syndrome have grown up in Norway's inclusive society. This study explored their friendships and social leisure participation, mainly as it is reflected through their subjective experience. The analysis is based on qualitative interviews and observations of 22 teens aged 17years. Generally, the adolescents described their social life as rich and varied, occurring in several contexts with different companions. Their thoughts of friendships were quite extensive, also including less close relationships. Three main contextual patterns of social participation were revealed: (a) the family at home pattern, (b) the peer group pattern and (c) the arranged company pattern. The relationship between the national policy on social inclusion and these findings is discussed. To understand the barriers and opportunities in the social life of Norwegian adolescents with Down syndrome, it is essential to acknowledge the extent of their experiences with friendship and the characteristics of their social participation patterns.

Social Participation Types and Benefits on Health Outcomes for Elder People: a Systematic Review

The Purpose of this systematic review was to examine patterns of social participation and their benefits on health outcomes of elder people. Published articles written in English from 2006 to 2016 were searched from electronic databases, including PubMed. Science Direct, and CINAHL, as well as hand search for unpublished papers. The results showed that 6 papers met the inclusion criteria. The social participation patterns in elder people could be categorized into 2 patterns, including: (1) collective participation, (2) productive participation. Both social participation patterns could improve psychosocial issues of elder people. Therefore, the authors suggested that to succeed in promoting healthy ageing for these people, health care providers should encourage older people to engage in social activities. However, more rigorous research is also needed to confirm the correlation between social participation types and health benefits among these older people.