Social participation, social capital, and subjective well-being among older adults

Abstract

  This study aimed to examine the role of social capital in the relationship between social participation and subjective well-being among older adults. We analyzed data from community-dwelling older adults (N=624, aged 74-78 years), and the results revealed no relationship between social participation and subjective well-being. However, out of four types of social participation, participation in a neighborhood association was found to be significantly related to subjective well-being. It also had indirect effects on the latter through the older adults’ perception of social capital and the number of neighbors. Thus, the relationship between social participation and subjective well-being may differ depending on the type of social participation involved. Moreover, neighborhood association participation may affect subjective well-being through social capital.