Predictive factors of subjective well-being in older adults living alone: mixed method approach

Background: Subjective well-being is essential for older adults living alone. Older adults living alone with high subjective well-being contribute to physical and mental well-being, which reduces the burden on society and the nation. Objectives: To examine the predictive factors of subjective well-being in older adults living alone and to explore a comprehensive in-depth understanding of subjective well-being in older adults living alone.Method: An explanatory sequential mixed method design was used to investigate the predictive factors of subjective well-being. For the quantitative research, the sample was 198 older adults living alone in metropolitan areas and selected by the multistage random sampling method. The predictors included personal factors and psychosocial factors. The psychometric properties of instruments were verified with acceptable reliability and validity. The researchers analyzed the data obtained from descriptive statistics and hierarchical regression analysis. Then purposive sampling was used to select 14 participants who had high subjective well-being scores for the qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and content analysis was used to analyze data. Subsequently, connected the qualitative and quantitative findings.Results: Among 198 respondents, majority was female (68.7%) with a mean age of 74 and had been living alone for 16.6±12.77 years. Although most of them were highly independent (59.1%), there was 41.4% of elderly claimed without sufficient income for necessary daily expenses. The results from the quantitative data revealed a sense of coherence (β = 0.34, p< 0.001) as the strongest predictor of subjective well-being among older adults living alone, followed by resilience (β = 0.18, p =0.02), both of which jointly predicted subjective well-being by 31.20% (p< 0.001). The qualitative results explained that a sense of coherence and resilience were strongly related to subjective well-being by causing no overthinking, feeling free from problems, and producing peaceful feelings. In addition, economic status (insufficient income), functional status, social participation, perceived stress, and social support were related to subjective well-being in participants.Conclusion: A sense of coherence and resilience were significant in subjective well-being among older adults living alone. Implementing a program to promote these elements will induce clients’ subjective well-being, particularly females and those who have completed fundamental education. An activity that generates income maintains health status, functional status, social participation, and social support help to promote subjective well-being in older adults living alone would be recommended. However, further research is needed to explore other predicting factors in older adults living alone.