ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Psychology of Aging
Valuable Later-Life spousal partnership: The Mediated and Moderated Pathway from Negative Life Events to Loneliness in Older Adults
Provisionally accepted
- Qufu Normal University, Qufu, China
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Objectives: Based on stress response theory and the social ecological model, this study systematically examines the mechanisms underlying the impact of negative life events (NLEs) on loneliness among older adults, with a focus on the mediating role of marital satisfaction (MS) and the moderating effects of spousal support. Methods: Employing a cross-sectional design, we administered standardized assessment tools—including the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), NLEs Inventory, ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Brief Scale, and Spousal Support Scale—to a national convenience-sample of individuals aged 60 years and above, yielding 469 valid participants. Results: Results indicate that NLEs exert both direct and indirect effects on loneliness, with the latter operating via reduced MS. Notably, spousal support demonstrates dual moderating effects: Low levels of support amplify the detrimental impact of adversity on marital quality and thereby intensify loneliness; whereas high levels counteract these negative pathways and foster relational resilience. Discussion: This study provides the first empirical evidence for the dual-directional moderating role of spousal support, which not only buffers against stress but also cultivates relational adaptability. Findings offer critical theoretical insights for developing family-centered mental health interventions tailored to older adults.
Keywords: Loneliness, Negative life events, marital satisfaction, Spousal support, older adults
Received: 03 Sep 2025; Accepted: 27 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Yuan, Cheng, Jiaojian and Lin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Guangjie Yuan, gjyuan@qfnu.edu.cn
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