Longitudinal associations between social connections and subjective wellbeing in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Abstract

Objective: The role of social relationships in determining well-being may be particularly salient in ageing populations. There is only limited longitudinal research examining the relationship between different dimensions of social relationships and change in well-being over time. The present analysis explores the association between isolation, loneliness and two measures of subjective well-being over six years using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Design: Measures of social relationships were obtained at baseline and associations with well-being over the following six years were analysed using mixed models. Main outcome measures: Hedonic and evaluative well-being assessed every two years over the six-year period. Results: Levels of well-being showed a U-shaped relationship with time. At baseline, higher isolation and loneliness were associated with lower levels of hedonic and evaluative well-being. Individuals with high levels of isolation and loneliness initially showed a smaller decrease in evaluative well-being. The subsequent rise in well-being was, however, also diminished in this group. In contrast, loneliness was not associated with rate of change in hedonic well-being, while high levels of isolation were associated with a sustained decrease in hedonic well-being. Conclusion: Social isolation and loneliness show different associations with changes in evaluative and hedonic well-being over time.