Background/Objective: With the rapid ageing of the global population, promoting mental health and well-being among older adults has become a key priority for healthcare systems. Social support is widely recognized as an important social determinant of health; however, the underlying psychological mechanisms through which it influences well-being in community-dwelling older adults remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine the association between social support and subjective well-being among community-dwelling older adults in urban China and to determine whether psychological resilience mediates this relationship after adjusting for key sociodemographic factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and July 2023 among 1227 older adults aged ≥ 65 years in three urban communities in Dongguan, China. Stratified cluster sampling was applied. Social support was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6), psychological resilience using the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and well-being using the Elderly Well-Being Scale (EWBS). Pearson correlation and mediation analyses (PROCESS Model 4 with bootstrap resampling) were performed to examine the relationships among variables, adjusting for key sociodemographic factors. Results: A significant positive correlation emerged between social support and well-being (r = 0.410, p < 0.01), with psychological resilience exhibiting an even stronger correlation with well-being (r = 0.573, p < 0.01). Mediation analyses showed that psychological resilience partially mediated the social support–well-being relationship (indirect effect = 0.324, 95% CI: 0.262–0.391), explaining 38.5% of the total effect. Higher educational attainment and stable economic security (e.g., pension coverage) were significantly associated with better well-being outcomes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that social support is associated with better well-being both directly and indirectly through psychological resilience. From a healthcare perspective, community-based interventions that strengthen social networks and improve psychological resilience may represent effective strategies for promoting healthy ageing. Integrating psychosocial support and resilience-building programs into primary care and community health services could contribute to improving mental health and quality of life in ageing populations.
Cheng et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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