Does Self-Assurance Link Perceived Emotional Support to Cognitive Function?

• In Event: 499 - Section on Aging and the Life Course Roundtable Session.
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 02. Psychosocial Influences on Well-Being

Abstract

Cognitive function is a key to maintaining independent life with high quality of life. The prior studies have documented that the cognitive function is related to social support, and person’s psychosocial factors such as self-esteem. The present study is an attempt to investigate a potential pathway that links social support and cognitive function by addressing a research question whether and how person’s psychosocial factors such as self-esteem mediate influence of perceived emotional support on cognitive function. Drawing data from two waves of the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States [MIDUS I (1994-5) & II (2002)], path analyses were conducted by using STATA structural equation modeling scheme (sem commands) with the maximum likelihood for missing values method (method (mlmv) option). The results of the analyses revealed that while perceived emotional support from spouse, family members and friends were positively related to cognitive performance about 7.5 years later, the pathways that linked the emotional support to cognitive function varied between men and women. For men, their sense of self-assurance mediated the impact of emotional support on cognitive function. For women, no mediating effect of the psychosocial factors was found; instead, perceived emotional support from friends had direct and positive (and greater) impact on cognitive performance.

Author

• Chizuko Wakabayashi, Nagoya City University