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The elderly living in single-person households in South Korea: a latent profile analysis of self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depression

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Abstract

Objectives

Elderly living alone in South Korea report higher rates of psychological distress compared to the population at large. Using a person-centered approach, the aim of the present study was to identify the latent profiles of South Korean elderly living alone based on self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depression.

Method

Latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted based on data of 1545 older age individuals living alone. In addition, we examined significant factors that differentiate the observed profiles using multinomial logistic regression analysis.

Results

We identified five profiles: “extremely depressed (n = 44, 2.9%),” “severely depressed (n = 169, 10.9%),” “mildly depressed (n = 529, 34.2%),” “low life satisfaction (n = 128, 8.3%),” and “positive adaptation (n = 675, 43.7%).” In addition, results of multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that males (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.02–2.81), and elderly with lower income (OR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.81–0.91), lower level of physical health (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.33–0.57), and lower social relationship satisfaction (OR: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.18–0.35) were more likely to fall in the “low life satisfaction” rather than the “positive adaptation” profile. In addition, being female (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.30–0.79), of older age (OR: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01–.1.07), and higher income (OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.08–1.20) were related to classification in the “mildly depressed” rather than the “low life satisfaction” profile. The “severely depressed” group was differentiated by older age (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01–1.08), lower level of physical health (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.34–0.71), and lower satisfaction with social relationship (OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.38–0.76).

Conclusion

The results highlight the need for welfare policies that secure income and physical health in elderly living alone to enhance their quality of life. Furthermore, interventions that aim to maintain social networks are tantamount in order to prevent isolation in the elderly living alone.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Yonsei University Research Grant of 2020.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-Ro, Suhdaemun-Gu, Seoul, 02799, Republic of Korea

    Jeong Hoon Park M.A., Sung Min B.A. & Soo Hyun Park Ph.D.

  2. Yongmoon Graduate School of Counseling Psychology, 154, Yulgok-Ro, Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 03136, Republic of Korea

    Yookyung Eoh Ph.D.

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-Ro, Suhdaemun-Gu, Seoul, 02799, Republic of Korea

    Jeong Hoon Park M.A.

Authors
  1. Jeong Hoon Park M.A.
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  2. Sung Min B.A.
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  3. Yookyung Eoh Ph.D.
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  4. Soo Hyun Park Ph.D.
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data analysis were performed by Jeong Hoon Park. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Jeong Hoon Park and Sung Min and review and editing was conducted by Yookyung Eoh and Soo Hyun Park. Funding was acquired by Soo Hyun Park. All authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Soo Hyun Park Ph.D..

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board, Yonsei University (7001988-201807-HR-425-01E) and it is certified that the study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Park, J.H., Min, S., Eoh, Y. et al. The elderly living in single-person households in South Korea: a latent profile analysis of self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depression. Qual Life Res 30, 1083–1092 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-020-02693-1

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