Perceived loneliness and the role of cultural and intergenerational belonging: the case of Portuguese first-generation immigrants in Luxembourg

Community-Based Mental Health Challenges and Implications: Examining Factors Influencing Distress and Help-Seeking Behaviors among Korean American Church Leaders and Members in Greater Los Angeles

There is limited research on the factors that impact mental distress among Korean American (KA) church leaders even though their unique social situation can create many barriers to seeking mental health assistance. This study compared factors impacting mental distress and help-seeking behaviors between KA church leaders (CLs) and church members (CMs) in the greater Los Angeles area. The respondents (N = 243) were mostly female, married, educated, first-generation immigrants with a mean age of 47.9 years (SD = 19.7). The Hopkins Symptoms Checklist 10 was used to measure anxiety and depression. Hierarchal linear regressions showed that health status exerted the strongest effect on both anxiety and depression among CLs and CMs. Beyond health status, education (only for depression), informal resource use, and resiliency impacted mental distress scores for CLs. Only resiliency and religious coping predicted depression scores among CMs. To effectively reach this population, community-based organizations and behavioral health specialists should consider collaborating with churches to promote and provide essential mental health support. Our findings also highlight that the needs of church leaders (CLs) and church members (CMs) differ, which should guide the development of culturally tailored interventions that build on the resilience of both groups.

Systematic review of factors influencing loneliness in older-adult migrants

OBJECTIVES

Older-adult migrants constitute a proportion of the global population, and loneliness hinders their adaptation to host areas. However, review studies on risk factors for loneliness target general older-adults without focusing on older-adult migrants. Therefore, this study systematically reviews and synthesizes the factors influencing the loneliness of older-adult migrants.

METHOD

Five databases were searched and screened for quantitative studies investigating the relationship between risk factors and loneliness among older-adult migrants (over age 50). Finally, 35 articles were included.

RESULTS

Factors related to loneliness in older-adult migrants were synthesized into sociodemographic, physical health, psychological, interpersonal, and acculturation-related factors. Consistent significant relationships with loneliness were found for a few risk factors, including not having spouses, low subjective financial status, poor self-rated health, poor psychological status, few non-kin ties, low quality of kin and non-kin ties, and a weak sense of belonging to either one's ethnic group or that of the host areas.

CONCLUSION

This review discusses the unique findings on the risk factors for loneliness in older-adult migrants. Additionally, the current literature on loneliness in older-adult migrants has some research gaps, calling for longitudinal studies with a rigorous design.

Social Disconnectedness, Perceived Loneliness, and Cognitive Functioning: The Role of Neighborhood Environment

Background and Objectives

Social disconnectedness and loneliness pose significant challenges for older Chinese immigrants. Yet, it remains unclear whether they are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline in this population. This study aimed to investigate the association of social disconnectedness and loneliness with cognitive functioning and examine the moderation role of neighborhood contexts.

Research Design and Methods

This longitudinal analysis examined a sample of individuals aged 60 years and older from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (N = 2,044). Global cognition was assessed using the averaged z-scores of cognitive performance tests. Social disconnectedness was constructed using 5 indicators about structural aspects of social relationships. Loneliness was assessed with the R-UCLA loneliness scale. Neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) and neighborhood segregation index were constructed using 2010-2014 American Community Survey data at the census tract level. Individual perceptions about neighborhood environments were used to construct neighborhood cohesion index and neighborhood disorder index (NDI). Latent growth curve models with adjusted cluster robust standard errors were estimated.

Results

More loneliness was associated with a higher level of initial cognitive functioning (B = 0.030, p < .01), but also with a faster decline rate over time (B = -0.007, p < .01) after adjusting for covariates. High NSES and less neighborhood segregation buffered the negative effects of loneliness on cognitive decline, respectively. High NDI amplified the positive relationship between loneliness and initial functioning, but accelerated the rate of cognitive decline associated with loneliness.

Discussion and Implications

The study revealed that perceived loneliness, but not social disconnectedness, is a risk factor for cognitive decline among older Chinese immigrants. Living in a neighborhood with low socioeconomic status, more segregation, and high disorder elevated the detrimental effect of loneliness on long-term cognitive decline. Further research needs to investigate the complex interplay between social relationships, neighborhood environment, and cognition.

The (un)caring experienced by racialized and/or ethnoculturally diverse residents in supportive living: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Racialized and/or ethnocultural minority older adults in supportive living settings may not have access to appropriate services and activities. Most supportive living facilities are mainstream (not specific to one group); however, culturally specific facilities are purpose-built to accommodate older adults from a particular group. Our objective was to describe the perspectives of diverse participants about access to culturally appropriate care, accessible services, and social and recreation activities in culturally specific and mainstream (non-specific) supportive living facilities.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 21 people (11 staff, 8 family members, 2 residents) from 7 supportive living homes (2 culturally specific and 5 mainstream) in Alberta, Canada. We used a rapid qualitative inquiry approach to structure the data collection and analysis.

RESULTS

Staff and family members described challenges in accessing culturally appropriate care in mainstream facilities. Family members expressed guilt and shame when their relative moved to supportive living, and they specifically described long waitlists for beds in culturally specific homes. Once in the facility, language barriers contributed to quality of care issues (e.g., delayed assessments) and challenges accessing recreation and social activities in both mainstream and culturally specific homes. Mainstream facilities often did not have appropriate food options and had limited supports for religious practices. Residents who had better English language proficiency had an easier transition to supportive living.

CONCLUSIONS

Racialized and/or ethnoculturally diverse residents in mainstream supportive living facilities did not receive culturally appropriate care. Creating standalone facilities for every cultural group is not feasible; therefore, we must improve the care in mainstream facilities, including recruiting more diverse staff and integrating a wider range of recreation and religious services and food options.

The moderating role of neighborhood social cohesion in the mediation effects of the loneliness between acculturation stress and post-traumatic growth among female North Korean defectors

Loneliness negatively predicts post-traumatic growth (PTG) among North Korean defectors (NKD), one of the representative groups of refugees. Additionally, evidence also suggests that females, who account for 70% of NKDs entering South Korea, are vulnerable not only to past trauma but also to the current acculturation stress and loneliness affected by neighborhood social cohesion. This study explores whether the mediating effect of loneliness on the relationship between acculturation stress and PTG was moderated by the neighborhood social cohesion among female NKDs. In this study, the data of 166 female NKDs who completed an online survey regarding acculturation stress, PTG, loneliness, and neighborhood social cohesion were used. Moderated mediation analysis was conducted using SPSS PROCESS macro program. Loneliness was associated with PTG (B = - 1.896, p < 0.001), and mediated the association between acculturation stress and PTG (indirect effect = - 0.278, 95% LLCI - 0.403, 95% ULCI - 0.166). Neighborhood social cohesion moderated the mediation effect of loneliness on the association between acculturation stress and PTG (B = - 0.016, 95% LLCI 0.001, 95% ULCI 0.035). The indirect effect of acculturation stress on PTG through loneliness was notably high for those with low neighborhood social cohesion. Therefore, increasing neighborhood social cohesion would reduce loneliness caused by acculturation stress and support the positive growth among female NKDs. This represents the most effective approach to aiding female NKDs in achieving growth, even after suffering trauma.

Exploring the place attachments of older migrants in Aotearoa: A life course history approach

Migrants are faced with the task of creating a sense of home in a new context. As migrants grow older in their host countries, they are also making important decisions on where to live out the rest of their lives, making salient the places they attach themselves to. Place attachment, and its subcomponents of place identity and place dependence, are concepts that have been explored in the ageing and migration literature, demonstrating that positive, emotional attachments to places are positively correlated with better health outcomes. Although it has been established that individuals' attachments to places are dynamic, multidimensional and change over the life course, there is a paucity of research exploring the place attachments of migrants as they age using a life course approach. This study adopted a life course approach to investigate how the components of place attachment shifted over time for migrant people in Aotearoa New Zealand as they aged, and to better understand the mechanisms and barriers to establishing a sense of home in a foreign land. We examined the narratives of ten older migrants (65 years or older) who migrated to Aotearoa before the age of 50. Key findings illustrated that all participants had strong place identities (i.e., explicit self-identification and sense of belonging) to their countries of origin before migrating to Aotearoa, all participants developed strong place dependence (i.e., fulfilment of functional needs) to Aotearoa over their life course, but not everyone was able to develop place identity to Aotearoa. Mechanisms such as language, cultural attitudes, and values can both facilitate and prevent attachments to either home or host country. These results uncover how Aotearoa's ageing migrants negotiate their attachments to places over the life course.

Cantonese media promotes Chinese cultural identification: structural equation modeling based on Malaysian Chinese

Introduction

Language media from one's hometown is an important means of maintaining cultural identification, especially for minorities. Cantonese media plays an active role in shaping the Chinese cultural identification of ethnic Chinese all over the world. To date, few researchers have undertaken quantitative empirical analyses of the mechanism through which Cantonese media influences cultural identification.

Methods

Using data from 642 Malaysian Chinese, this study established a structural equation model with the partial least squares method.

Results

We found that the emotional affinity of ethnic Chinese to Cantonese media can influence identification with Chinese culture through the perceived value of Cantonese media and cognition of Chinese culture. The perceived value of Cantonese media (IE = 0.208) and cognition of Chinese culture (IE = 0.068) play partial mediation roles. Meanwhile, emotional affinity to Cantonese media influences cognition of Chinese culture (IE = 0.069) through the chain mediation of perceived value of Cantonese media and cognition of Chinese culture. Age has a partial moderating effect in the structural equation model. Compared with minors, adults' emotional affinity to Cantonese media can eventually influence identification with Chinese culture (TEdiff = 0.126) more strongly through several mediation paths.

Discussion

The study suggests a need to cultivate the emotional affinity of ethnic Chinese to Cantonese media, improve the multidimensional values of Cantonese media, and endow Cantonese media with functions of cultural dialog and knowledge transmission. The international transmission of Cantonese media could play a vital role in building a cultural community for ethnic Chinese globally.

Understanding and Addressing Older Adults' Loneliness: The Social Relationship Expectations Framework

Loneliness is an experience resulting from a perceived discrepancy between expected and actual social relationships. Although this discrepancy is widely considered the "core mechanism" of loneliness, previous research and interventions have not sufficiently addressed what older adults specifically expect from their social relationships. To address this gap and to help situate research on older adults' loneliness within broader life span developmental theories, we propose a theoretical framework that outlines six key social relationship expectations of older adults based on research from psychology, gerontology, and anthropology: availability of social contacts, receiving care and support, intimacy and understanding, enjoyment and shared interests, generativity and contribution, and being respected and valued. We further argue that a complete understanding of loneliness across the life span requires attention to the powerful impacts of contextual factors (e.g., culture, functional limitations, social network changes) on the expression and fulfillment of older adults' universal and age-specific relationship expectations. The proposed Social Relationship Expectations Framework may fruitfully inform future loneliness research and interventions for a heterogeneous aging population.

The Sense of Belonging in the Context of Migration: Development and Trajectories Regarding Portuguese Migrants in Luxembourg

The sense of belonging can be defined as a highly subjective and dynamic feeling of acceptance, inclusion, and connectedness to a specific contextual entity. Perceiving belongingness to others is positively related to psychological well-being, happiness, or higher self-esteem. The present contribution examined how the sense of belonging to spatial, social, and cultural entities evolves over the migration process of Portuguese first-generation migrants and their second-generation offspring residing in Luxembourg. The current study drew on the qualitative content analysis of ten semi-structured interviews, carried out with ten Portuguese migrant family dyads (one parent and one adult child per dyad). The results affirmed that the sense of belonging showed to be a complex and multi-faceted concept and highly shaped by specific contexts. The initially unfamiliar Luxembourgish context became a familiar setting and even a "home" over time. While the older generation presented noticeable belongingness to Luxembourg as a homeland, their affiliation to the Luxembourgish community and culture remained rather low. Simultaneously, they preserved a high connectedness to the Portuguese culture as well as to fellow Portuguese migrants living in the Grand Duchy. The younger generation expressed a much more pronounced attachment to Luxembourg, since they perceived belongingness to the Luxembourgish spatial, social, and (multi)cultural milieu. In addition to this, a certain affiliation to the Portuguese culture and language could be discerned. Although some factors, which might have contributed to this evolution, could be identified in the present study, one can assume that there are significantly more that have not been addressed yet.

The association between the interaction of migration background and physical activity with loneliness in middle-aged and older adults living in Germany

BACKGROUND

Reduced physical activity and having a migration background are both associated with higher loneliness; however, the moderating role of migration background in the association between loneliness and physical activity remains largely unknown.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data from the sixth wave (year 2017) of the German Ageing Survey (DEAS). Loneliness was measured using the De Jong Gierveld tool and physical activity was dichotomised into either of the following (i.e., at least 150 min of moderate physical activity per week) or not following physical activity recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). For evaluation of the associations we applied adjusted linear regression models with robust standard errors.

RESULTS

We included 6257 (average age = 67 years, 50% female) and 285 (average age = 63 years, 51% female) participants without and with migration background, respectively. In multiple linear regressions both migration background (ß = 0.13, P = 0.001), as well as not following the WHO physical activity recommendations (ß = 0.06, P < 0.001) were associated with increased loneliness. Moreover, the respective interaction term reached statistical significance (ß = -0.27, P = 0.013). Participants with migration background have a more pronounced association between following the WHO physical activity recommendations and reduced loneliness compared to participants without migration background.

CONCLUSION

Among middle-aged and older individuals, those with migration background benefit to a larger extent from following physical activity recommendations than the population without migration background regarding loneliness. Thus, motivating individuals with migration background to follow the WHO physical activity guidelines could particularly assist in reducing loneliness.

Proculturation shaped by social representations of academic migrants from Italy to the United States

Introduction

Existing literature has highlighted the phenomenon of academic migrants leaving Italy for the United States with the hope of finding institutions that offer more opportunities for growth and recognition based on merit, as opposed to corruption, nepotism, and excessive bureaucracy. Likely, these may be the expectations of Italian academic migrants, who seem to be thriving and flourishing in their careers. This paper discusses proculturation of academic migrants from Italy to the United States, in the light of their expectations related to self-concept as well as social representations of North American university instructors from transnational families.

Methods

In this study, 173 participants volunteered to provide information in an online survey that included their demographic profile, family situation, language ability, recalled pre-migration expectations and preparations, satisfaction with life, self-perceived stress, self-rated health, free responses to questions about major successes, challenges, and goals, as well as self-identification.

Results

The results have shown that participants were indeed thriving in their careers and lives (majority scored high in satisfaction with life, health, realistic expectations and helpful per-migration preparations, while low in stress, also indicating work-related accomplishments and successes), but somewhat struggled with proculturation-related issues, frequently mentioned among major challenges.

A Middle-Range Theory of Social Isolation in Chronic Illness

Chronic illnesses and social isolation are major public phenomena that drive health and social policy worldwide. This article describes a middle-range theory of social isolation as experienced by chronically ill individuals. Key concepts include social disconnectedness, loneliness, and chronic illness. Antecedents of social isolation include predisposing factors (e.g., ageism and immigration) and precipitating factors (e.g., stigma and grief). Outcomes of social isolation include psychosocial responses (e.g., depression and quality of life), health-related behaviors (i.e., self-care), and clinical responses (e.g., cognitive function and health service use). Possible patterns of social isolation in chronic illness are described.

Neighbourhood Ethnic Density, Local Language Skills, and Loneliness among Older Migrants-A Population-Based Study on Russian Speakers in Finland

So far, little attention has been paid to contextual factors shaping loneliness and their interaction with individual characteristics. Moreover, the few existing studies have not included older migrants, identified as a group who are vulnerable to loneliness. This study examined the association between neighbourhood ethnic density (the proportion of own-group residents and the proportion of other ethnic residents in an area) and loneliness among older migrants. Furthermore, we investigated whether local language skills moderated this association. A population-based representative survey (The CHARM study, n = 1082, 57% men, mean age 63.2 years) and postal code area statistics were used to study Russian-speaking migrants aged 50 or older in Finland. The study design and data are hierarchical, with individuals nested in postcode areas. We accounted for this by estimating corresponding mixed models. We used a linear outcome specification and conducted logistic and ordinal robustness checks. After controlling for covariates, we found that ethnic density variables (measured as the proportion of Russian speakers and the proportion of other foreign speakers) were not associated with loneliness. Our interaction results showed that increased own-group ethnic density was associated with a higher level of loneliness among those with good local language skills but not among those with weaker skills. Good local language skills may indicate a stronger orientation towards the mainstream destination society and living in a neighbourhood with a higher concentration of own-language speakers may feel alienating for those who wish to be more included in mainstream society.

Mediating effect of family support on the relationship between acculturation and loneliness among the migrant elderly following children in Jinan, China

The total number of migrant elderly following children (MEFC) has gradually increased along with population aging and urbanization in recent decades in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of family support on the relationship between acculturation and loneliness among the MEFC in Jinan, China. A total of 656 MEFC were selected by multistage cluster random sampling. Loneliness was measured using the short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), while acculturation and family support were assessed using a self-designed questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis, and the structural equation model (SEM) were conducted to illustrate the relationship between the above indicators and loneliness. The average ULS-8 score of the MEFC was 12.82 ± 4.05 in this study. Acculturation of the MEFC exerted a negatively direct effect on loneliness and a positively direct effect on family support simultaneously, while family support exerted a negatively direct effect on loneliness. Family support partially mediated the relationship between acculturation and loneliness [95% CI: -0.079 to 0.013, p < 0.001], while the mediating effect of family support accounted for 14.0% of the total effect. The average ULS-8 score of 12.82 ± 4.05 implied a low level of loneliness in the MEFC in Jinan, China. Acculturation was found to be correlated with loneliness, while the mediating role of family support between acculturation and loneliness was established. Policy recommendations were provided to reduce loneliness and improve the acculturation and family support of the MEFC according to the findings above.

Association between Sense of Belonging and Loneliness among the Migrant Elderly Following Children in Jinan, Shandong Province, China: The Moderating Effect of Migration Pattern

BACKGROUND

Driven by accelerating population aging and migration, the number of older migrants has increased rapidly in China. Those who moved to cities to look after grandchildren were referred to as the migrant elderly following children (MEFC). This study aims to examine the relationship between sense of belonging and loneliness and explore the moderating effect of migration pattern among the MEFC in China.

METHODS

The study included 656 MEFC aged 60 years and above. Loneliness was evaluated by the eight-item University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (ULS-8). Sense of belonging and migration pattern were measured using a self-designed questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted to test the proposed association and moderating effect. A margins plot was introduced to illustrate this effect.

RESULTS

The average ULS-8 score was 12.82 ± 4.05, revealing a low level of loneliness. A weak sense of belonging was related with a higher level of loneliness (β = 0.096, p = 0.014). Migration pattern was found to exacerbate this association (β = 0.138, p = 0.026), especially for the elderly who migrated across provinces.

CONCLUSIONS

Sense of belonging was correlated with loneliness, and the moderating role of migration pattern was established. Both policymakers and the adult children of inter-provincial migrant elderly should focus on this special subgroup.