Social Isolation and Cognitive Function in Appalachian Older Adults
Abstract
Objective: Investigating the relation between social isolation and cognitive function will allow us to identify components to incorporate into cognitive interventions. Method: Data were collected from 267 Appalachian older adults ( M = 78.5, range 70–94 years). Overall cognitive functioning and specific cognitive domains were assessed from data of a self-assembled neuropsychological battery of frequently used tasks. Social isolation, social disconnectedness, and perceived isolation were measured from the Lubben Social Network scale-6. Results: Results indicated a significant positive association between all predictor variables (e.g., social isolation, social disconnectedness, and perceived isolation) and outcome variables (e.g., overall cognitive function, memory, executive functioning, attention, and language abilities). Perceived isolation accounted for nearly double the amount of variance in overall cognitive functioning than social disconnectedness (10.2% vs. 5.7%). Discussion: Findings suggest that social isolation is associated with poorer overall cognitive functioning and this remains true across varied cognitive domains.
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Among the few studies examining social isolation and loneliness simultaneously, the evidence has yielded mixed results.
“Among the few ones in which researchers examined social isolation and loneliness simultaneously, the evidence have yielded mixed results.10,[16][17][18][19][20]”
From Are loneliness and social isolation associated with cognitive decline? (2019) · cites this paper as [16]
Social isolation has been associated with poor cognitive outcomes.
“Social isolation (DiNapoli, Wu, & Scogin, 2014;Shankar, Hamer, McMunn, & Steptoe, 2013), feelings of loneliness (Conroy, Golden, Jeffares, O'Neill, & McGee, 2010;Ellwardt, Aartsen, Deeg, & Steverink, 2013;Fung, Leung, & Lam, 2011;Gerst-Emerson, Shovali, & Markides, 2014;Gow et al., 2013;O'Luanaigh et al., 2012;Shankar et al., 2013;Tilvis et al., 2004), and low engagement in social activity (Barnes”
From Living alone and cognitive function in later life (2019) · cites this paper as DiNapoli et al., 2014
Social isolation, loneliness, and social activity were controlled for.
“Social isolation, loneliness, and social activity were also controlled for as these factors have been associated with living alone (Victor et al., 2000(Victor et al., , 2005) ) and with cognitive function (DiNapoli et al., 2014;Ellwardt et al., 2013;Gerst-Emerson et al., 2014;Gow et al., 2013;Shankar et al., 2013;Zunzunegui et al., 2003).”
From Living alone and cognitive function in later life (2019) · cites this paper as DiNapoli et al., 2014
Social isolation is associated with poorer cognitive outcomes.
“There is evidence to suggest that social isolation is associated with poor cognitive health, although findings are contradictory.”
From Social isolation, cognitive reserve, and cognition in healthy older people (2018) · cites this paper as [25]
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References 46 · Cited by 126
- Authors
- DiNapoli, E. A., Wu, B., & Scogin, F.
- Affiliations
- University of Alabama (US)
- Duke University (US)
- Corresponding author
- DiNapoli, Elizabeth A.
- ORCID
- Wu, Bei
- Venue
- Research on Aging
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2013-01-04
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 161-179
- ISSN
- 0164-0275 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7573
- OpenAlex
- W2130533913
- Cited by
- 126
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 2.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Research on Aging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (7r21de016970-03)
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (5R21DE016970)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Keywords
- social isolation, cognitive function, older adults, disconnection, perceived isolation, memory, executive function, attention, language skills, cognitive intervention
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Appalachian Region, Cognition, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Social Isolation
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