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What Mediates Links Between Age and Well-being? A Test of Social Support and Interpersonal Conflict as Potential Interpersonal Pathways

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Abstract

We examined potential nonlinear links between age and subjective well-being, and the interpersonal processes (i.e., support, conflict) responsible for such links. One hundred forty-four men and women between the ages of 30–70 completed measures of satisfaction with life, social support (interpersonal support evaluation list), and social negativity (test of negative social exchanges). Nonlinear regression analyses revealed a significant quadratic trend between age and satisfaction with life (SWL, p = .01) where age was associated with lower SWL in the young to middle-aged sample, but higher SWL in the middle-age to older adult sample. Analyses further revealed that interpersonal tensions statistically mediated the nonlinear links between age and SWL. These data suggest that negative interpersonal exchanges may be important contributors to well-being at midlife.

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Notes

  1. We also examined depression as indexed by the beck depression inventory (Beck et al. 1961). No significant quadratic trend was evident between age and depression (p = .12) although the pattern was consistent with life satisfaction in that depression was highest at midlife.

  2. In exploratory analyses, we also examined each subscale of the ISEL to see if any quadratic trends were evident with age. Consistent with the total scale analyses, age did not show a quadratic trend for 3 of the 4 subscales (i.e., appraisal, self-esteem, belonging, p’s > .55). However, age did show a quadratic link to tangible support (b = .001, p < .05), with tangible support being lowest at midlife. It is important to note that this was the only subscale to show such a link and there was no a priori reason to focus on tangible support. Hence, we view this finding as preliminary pending replication.

  3. Exploratory analyses also examined if the same pattern was found on each of the TENSE subscales. Consistent with the total scale analyses, the quadratic trend for age was evident on 3 of the 4 TENSE subscales (i.e., hostility, interference, insensitivity, p’s < .08). However, the quadratic age trend was not evident on the ridicule subscale (p > .83). Again there was no a priori reason to focus on these individual subscales so these specific associations require replication.

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Acknowledgments

This research was generously supported by a James A. Shannon Director’s Award 1 R55 AG13968.

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  1. Department of Psychology and Health Psychology Program, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E. Rm. 502, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0251, USA

    Anna Darbonne & Bert N. Uchino

  2. Department of Human Development, Columbia University, New York City, NY, USA

    Anthony D. Ong

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  1. Anna Darbonne
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Correspondence to Bert N. Uchino.

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Darbonne, A., Uchino, B.N. & Ong, A.D. What Mediates Links Between Age and Well-being? A Test of Social Support and Interpersonal Conflict as Potential Interpersonal Pathways. J Happiness Stud 14, 951–963 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9363-1

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