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Item Neighborhood Qualities Are Related to Better Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Loneliness Over 6 Years: Pathways Through Social Engagement and Social Support to Aging Well(Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America, 2025-06) Stephens C; Bakhshandeh Bavarsad M; Castle NGBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Growing research evidence supports the importance of neighbourhoods for the wellbeing of older people. The aim of this study was to investigate key pathways (social engagement and social support) through which neighbourhood qualities (accessibility, safety, and social cohesion) may affect older people's mental wellbeing (mental health, quality of life, and loneliness) over 6 years. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A structural equation model was used to test the model while controlling for individual limitations such as physical health and SES. The population sample included 2750 New Zealanders over the age of 55 (M = 65.64 ± 6.30) years who responded to Health, Work and Retirement (HWR) longitudinal surveys in 2016 and 2022. RESULTS: The results showed that greater neighbourhood accessibility to important facilities in 2016 predicted better mental health and quality of life and less loneliness in 2022 through provision of social support. Neighbourhood social cohesion predicted social engagement, which was related to higher social support predicting better mental health and quality of life and less loneliness in 2022. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings confirm a body of research highlighting the importance of neighbourhood qualities and show the socially oriented pathways through which neighbourhoods support ageing well. These findings have direct implications for the development of social policy that focuses on the development of housing situations to support healthy ageing.Item Longitudinal study : the impact of COVID-19 on older New Zealander’s psychological wellbeing : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Health Science (by thesis) in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Rahman, JodieBackground: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was identified in December 2019 and rapidly spread across the globe. Lockdowns, social isolation and distancing, and mask mandates were among the responses introduced to prevent the spread of the virus. Extensive global research has demonstrated that the implementation of protective measures had a significant adverse psychological effect on older adults, who are widely seen as a particularly vulnerable demographic group susceptible to the disease. Consequently, this population was subjected to more stringent and lengthier restrictions. The short and medium psychological impact of COVID-19 and its response have been well documented in academic literature. However, little is known about the enduring effects over an extended period of time. Aim: To explore the long-term psychological impact of COVID-19 on older New Zealander. In addition, explore changes in psychological wellbeing indicators across the three years and the variations linked to socio-demographic characteristics. Method: Participants (M= 69 years) were drawn from the longitudinal study of older adults (N=6,454 [n = 1,963 Māori]). Data from three waves (2020, 2021 and 2022) were used. Psychological wellbeing was assessed with measures of Loneliness (using the de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale), Depression (using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), Anxiety (using the General Anxiety Inventory), Mental Health (using the Short Form Health Survey), and Quality of Life (using the World Health Organisation Quality of Life measure and the Control, Autonomy, Self-realisation, Pleasure scale). Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted, followed by a Spearman's rho correlation, direct regression analyses and a series of repeated measures Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were conducted to address the research questions. Results: In 2021, a comparative decline was observed in all measures, followed by an improvement in 2022, with the exception of Anxiety which was similar across all three years. Bivariate correlations demonstrated significant associations between psychological wellbeing indicators and socio-demographic variables. Logistic Regression revealed Age, Employment, and SES as key predictors of psychological wellbeing among older New Zealanders. However, when considering the subsequent ANCOVA results across Time, Age, and Socioeconomic status emerged as the most salient predictors. The interaction effects between Time and Age, as well as Time and Socioeconomic status , indicated that the relationship between psychological wellbeing outcomes and Time varied with different Ages and based on their level of Socioeconomic status. These interactions showed that those with lower Socioeconomic status in 2022, and who were younger consistently experienced the highest levels of Loneliness, Depression and Anxiety and lowest levels of Mental Health and Quality of Life across Time. Furthermore, those aged 75 and above, and those with low Socioeconomic status, did not recovery as quickly as the other groups in 2022. Conclusion: This study offers insights into the psychological wellbeing of older adults in New Zealand. Collectively, it highlights their resilience, with Age being recognised as a protective factor; though, those 75+ did not recover as quickly as the other groups in 2022. However, as this demographic is not a single homogenous group, other socio-demographic factors greatly influenced their outcomes. The study illustrated that being employed can function as a safeguard during disruptive events such as a worldwide pandemic, highlighting the need for policy measures focused on enhancing job prospects for older adults. Furthermore, the study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the existing disparity across socioeconomic categories. It is important that policymakers and healthcare organisations prioritise support and resources for those in disadvantaged communities to ensure equitable access to mental health services to reduce their vulnerability to adverse outcomes, especially during a crisis such as a pandemic.Item Social Isolation and Loneliness during COVID-19 Lockdown: Associations with Depressive Symptoms in the German Old-Age Population(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-04-01) Müller F; Röhr S; Reininghaus U; Riedel-Heller SGLockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic increase the risk of social isolation and loneliness, which may affect mental wellbeing. Therefore, we aimed to investigate associations between social isolation and loneliness with depressive symptoms in the German old-age population during the first COVID-19 lockdown. A representative sample of randomly selected individuals at least 65 years old (n = 1005) participated in a computer-assisted standardized telephone interview in April 2020. Sociodemographic data, aspects of the personal life situation, attitudes towards COVID-19 and standardized screening measures on loneliness (UCLA 3-item loneliness scale), depression (Brief Symptom Inventory/BSI-18), and resilience (Brief Resilience Scale/BRS) were assessed. Associations were inspected using multivariate regression models. Being lonely, but not isolated (β = 0.276; p < 0.001) and being both isolated and lonely (β = 0.136; p < 0.001) were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Being isolated, but not lonely was not associated with depressive symptoms. Thus, the subjective emotional evaluation, i.e., feeling lonely, of the social situation during lockdown seems more relevant than the objective state, i.e., being isolated. Normal (β = −0.203; p < 0.001) and high resilience (β = −0.308; p < 0.001) were associated with lower depressive symptoms across groups. Therefore, strengthening coping skills may be a support strategy during lockdowns, especially for lonely older individuals.Item Depression and loneliness as mediators of purpose in life and quality of life in older adults : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Distance, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Williams, AleishaObjective: Worldwide populations are aging. This can potentially be a valuable resource to both the older individual and their communities or an ethical burden. A key factor in determining the potential opportunities that arise from these extra years of life is well being. It is therefore important to understand determinants that foster healthy aging and well being through maximising functional ability and enabling engagement in things that matter to them. This study utilises Quality of Life as a holistic measure of a well-being in older age. The existing literature has provided some support for Purpose in Life, Loneliness, and Depression as being associated with each other; it also suggests they are important pre determinants of older adult Quality of Life. Based on previous literature it is possible the relationship between Purpose in Life and Quality of Life is partially mediated by Loneliness and Depression. Method: A structural equation model tested the longitudinal relationship between Purpose in Life and Quality of Life, and the potential parallel mediating effect of Loneliness and Depression, while controlling for Age, Gender, Marital Status, Social Support, Social Isolation and Socioeconomic Status. Sample: The analysis used observational survey-based secondary data obtained from three waves of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study. The participants represented older adults living in New Zealand, aged 55 years and over. Results: Correlational analysis found significant correlational relationships between the latent variables. Regression analysis found positive direct (B = .243) and indirect total effect (B = .227) relationships between Purpose in Life and Quality of Life. However, indirect effects were not significant when one mediator was controlled for. Conclusion: The current research supports prior findings that Purpose in Life predicts future Quality of Life in older adults and offers an important contribution towards future interventions aimed at older adult well-being. The mixed mediating results suggest further research is needed to understand the role of Loneliness and Depression as potential pathways between Purpose in Life and Quality of Life.Item Exploring the demographic, social, and neighbourhood predictors of loneliness among New Zealand’s older adults : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2023) Cannon, TracyIncreased life expectancy has resulted in a larger proportion of older adults in the population. Through multiple changes, older adults’ social networks are shrinking. Consequently, these losses in social connections have resulted in loneliness. Loneliness is a complex and multi-faceted concept, consisting of emotional and social factors. Whilst loneliness has been linked to socio-demographics (age, gender, marital status, and health), few studies have explored the relationship between loneliness and social or neighbourhood influences. The study had three main objectives; to determine how lonely New Zealand’s older adult population is and the extent of emotional loneliness and social loneliness; to assess the socio-demographic predictors of loneliness among New Zealand’s older adult population; and to investigate whether objective measures of social and neighbourhood variables were related to loneliness. The sample was comprised of 4351 New Zealand adults aged 55–92 years old. Data was analysed using both bivariate correlations and logistic regression. The study found loneliness was most strongly related to gender, physical health, mental health, quality of life, housing and neighbourhood satisfaction, and volunteering. The study was limited to subjective evaluations and the impact of Covid-19 on loneliness in older adults has not been addressed. Some of the known predictors of loneliness were supported. The study also identified important social and neighbourhood determinants that have previously been overlooked, opening up avenues for future research into age-friendly environments.Item Balancing sleep, work and well-being during lockdown : exploring the relationships between working women's mood and sleep status during New Zealand's COVID-19 lockdown : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology, Te Kura Hinengaro Tangata School of Psychology, Te Kunenga Ki Pūreheroa Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand(Massey University, 2022) Helles, MargretheBackground: Sleep is important for good physical and mental health and the pandemic lockdown created a unique situation that impacted psychological and social drivers for sleeping well. The purpose of this study was to examine how the COVID-19 lockdown affected sleep, mood and loneliness in working women in New Zealand (NZ). The main hypothesis was that indicators of poorer mood and increased loneliness during the confinement would predict poorer subjective sleep quality. Methods: A sample of 498 female workers, aged 21-83 (N = 498) completed questionnaires pertaining to demographic data, and including the Pittsburgh Sleep Index Questionnaire (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS) and de Jong Gierveld Loneliness scale - 6 item (GLS-6) during the first lockdown in NZ, April 2020. The hypothesis was tested in two steps: a confirmatory factor analysis was used to test how the key measures performed in this unique COVID-19 lockdown situation and on this population. Secondly, a full structural model was run to test the predictive relationship between mood and loneliness on subjective sleep quality. Results: Using standardised cut offs within the scales, 54.8% of the NZ working women were identified as ‘poor sleepers’, 42.4% were borderline or at risk for anxiety and 31% for depression. Furthermore, 47.3% reported overall loneliness with 52.7% reporting being socially lonely and 89.3% emotionally lonely. Anxiety and depression were significantly predictive (p< 0.001) of subjective sleep quality (b = .49 and .39 respectively), however social and emotional loneliness were not. The fit of the predictive model provided a good overall fit given its complexity however, CFA results indicated the key measures did not perform well in a pandemic context compared to previous research in a non-pandemic context. Conclusion: Pandemic-related lockdown restrictions contributed to poor mood, subjective sleep quality, and elevated loneliness in NZ working women. It found that mood was predictive of poor sleep quality but loneliness was not. This is a unique insight into psycho-social impacts on sleep and well-being in NZ working women during a rigorous COVID-19 lockdown whilst the infection rates remained low. These findings may help promote practices that support well-being and subsequent sleep health for working women, both in day-to-day life as well in general crises situation.Item Exploring relationships between the residential neighbourhood environment and well-being outcomes in New Zealand residing older adults : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand(Massey University, 2021) Hall, KellyAs New Zealand’s population continues to age, we face the increasing challenge of supporting our older adults to live well for longer. Non-communicable diseases have taken over from infectious diseases as the leading cause of mortality, leaving much of our older population living longer with increased health concerns. Amid rising inequality and as the pressure on our health system rises, the health field turns its attention to the social determinants of health for the answer. Environmental influences on well-being have garnered particular attention in recent years. Older adults are theorised to be more susceptible to the neighbourhood environment as functional ability decreases. However, there have been inconsistencies in the research regarding objective and subjective measures of the neighbourhood. This study addresses two objectives; to determine the relationships between objective and subjective measures of the neighbourhood and to test the hypothesis that older adults who reside in more desirable neighbourhoods report higher levels of well-being. The study comprises two population samples; the first comprises 4351 New Zealand residing adults aged 55-92 years old, the second consists of a subgroup of 60 participants aged from 55-82. Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis were used to evaluate the data. The study found Natural Elements (trees, public grass, and sounds of nature) and objective measures of the environment to be the most strongly associated with positive perceptions of Neighbourhood Quality. Perceived Neighbourhood Quality, but not objective neighbourhood features, were predictive of well-being outcomes as measured by Loneliness, Depression, and Anxiety in older adults. The study was limited by the low availability of objective assessments and corresponding subjective assessments and the unknown impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. While causality cannot be claimed, the study found evidence of relationships between Neighbourhood perceptions and well-being in older adults.