ORCID
0000-0003-3386-5898
Abstract
Some adults in mid and late life may have been particularly sensitive to the negative effects of social disruptions due to COVID-19 restrictions. The current study explored whether sociability moderated links between disrupted contact with friends and family and multiple indicators of mental health. We collected quantitative data via an online survey from a community sample of 136 adults in mid to late life (M age = 67.77, range 50–91; 69.3% females; 92.7% White). We conducted a series of hierarchical linear regressions to test for moderation. Controlling for age, gender, and marital status, sociability moderated the associations between disruptions in social interactions and depressive symptoms, but not anxiety or life satisfaction. Namely, disruptions to social interactions were positively associated with depressive symptoms only for sociable individuals. Given the potential for future social disruptions, our findings point to the importance of considering the role of sociability in developing interventions that target adults.
