TY - JOUR T1 - Within-Person Dynamics of Objective and Subjective Social Isolation in Midlife and Later Life. JF - Journal of Aging and Health Y1 - 2023 A1 - Luo, Mengsha A1 - Li, Lydia W KW - Loneliness KW - social disconnectedness KW - social network KW - Social Relationships AB -

ObjectivesTo investigate the within-person dynamics of objective and subjective social isolation among U.S. middle-aged and older adults and to explore gender differences in this relationship. Four waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, 2006-2018, = 5437) and the multiple group random intercept cross-lagged panel model were used. Within-person deviation in expected subjective isolation predicted deviation in expected objective isolation years later. No corresponding cross-lagged effect of objective isolation on subjective isolation was found. Gender differences were detected: the within-person cross-lagged positive effect of subjective isolation on objective isolation was significant for men but not for women. This study provides evidence for a unidirectional relationship between subjective and objective isolation at the within-person level: higher than expected increase in subjective isolation predicts higher than expected increase in subsequent objective isolation. This within-person process is more salient in men than in women.

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