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Mediating role of neuroticism in the association between loneliness and cognitive function among community‐dwelling older adults
Author(s) -
Foong Hui Foh,
Hamid Tengku Aizan,
Ibrahim Rahimah,
Haron Sharifah Azizah
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/ajag.12555
Subject(s) - loneliness , neuroticism , cognition , psychology , association (psychology) , extraversion and introversion , mediation , clinical psychology , personality , ucla loneliness scale , big five personality traits , psychiatry , social psychology , political science , law , psychotherapist
Objective The main aim of this study was to examine whether neuroticism mediates the association between loneliness and cognitive function in older adults. Methods This study involved 2322 representative community residents aged 60–92 years in Peninsular Malaysia. Cognition was measured by Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), loneliness was assessed by three‐item loneliness scale, and neuroticism was assessed by the Short‐Form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple linear regression and Sobel tests were used for mediation analyses. Results Both loneliness (β = −0.04, P = 0.03) and neuroticism (β = −0.07, P < 0.001) were negatively and significantly associated with cognitive function, and most importantly, neuroticism mediated the association between loneliness and cognition (from β = −0.04, P = 0.03 to β = −0.03, P = 0.10). Conclusion Neuroticism may be the potential mechanism underlying the relationship between loneliness and cognitive function in older persons.