Citation

Lee HJ, Lee DK, Song W. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019; 16(8): e16081445.

Affiliation

Department of Landscape Architecture, Dankook University, 119, Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan, Chungnam 330-714, Korea. wksong@dankook.ac.kr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/ijerph16081445

PMID

31018623

Abstract

The role that psychological variables play in depression among elderly urban residents has received little research attention. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between social capital, social capital satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression among elderly urban residents. We used the responses provided by 701 elderly persons to scales assessing social capital (i.e., network, trust), social capital satisfaction, self-esteem, and depression, as part of the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS). We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis and tested the validity of a proposed statistical model using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that trust in social capital, social capital satisfaction, and self-esteem were significantly related to depression. Further, social capital satisfaction and self-esteem fully and partially mediated the relationship between trust and depression, respectively. These findings serve as an empirical base upon which social welfare policies can be founded that benefit elderly urban residents with weak social capital, low social capital satisfaction, and poor self-esteem.

Language: en

Keywords

depression; elderly urban residents; mental health; self-esteem; social capital