Individual level cognitive social capital and subsequent health and well-being among older adults in Japan: An outcome-wide study

Cognitive social capital—including trust, reciprocity, and attachment—may play a crucial role in shaping health and well-being in later life. This study examined these associations among older adults in Japan. We analyzed two datasets from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. Dataset 1 included three-wave longitudinal data from 2016, 2019, and 2022 ( n = 41,758), covering 42 self-reported outcomes. Dataset 2 linked 2016–2019 survey data with administrative records on mortality, dementia, and functional disability from 2019 to 2022 ( n = 56,153). Cognitive social capital was assessed in 2019. Outcomes in 2022 were grouped into seven domains: (1) happiness and life satisfaction, (2) mental and physical health, (3) meaning and purpose, (4) character and virtue, (5) social well-being, (6) health behaviors, and (7) social capital. Multivariable regression models were adjusted for pre-baseline covariates and prior exposure and outcome values. Bonferroni correction was applied ( p < 0.0011). Higher levels of trust, reciprocity, and attachment were consistently associated with better outcomes across all domains. For example, trust was linked to greater human flourishing (β = 0.11) and fewer depressive symptoms (β = −0.09). However, associations were not uniform across population groups, with subgroup differences observed by gender and educational attainment. Cognitive social capital is broadly associated with multidimensional health and well-being in later life, especially within psychological domains. Given the observed heterogeneity, approaches to strengthening social connections may benefit from considering group-specific characteristics. Community efforts to foster social capital may help promote psychological health and healthy aging. • Examined associations between cognitive social capital and 46 health and well-being outcomes. • Applied an outcome-wide analytic approach using three-wave longitudinal data. • Found consistent links of trust, reciprocity, and attachment with multiple well-being domains. • Psychological outcomes showed especially strong associations, with some subgroup variation. • Suggested that each component may be useful for assessing cognitive social capital.