The impact of social engagement on the mental health development of older adults: A 10-year longitudinal study

As population aging accelerates, mental health issues among older adults are becoming increasingly prominent. In accordance with the dual-factor model of mental health, this study assesses psychological well-being through life satisfaction and depression levels. Although previous research proves that social engagement significantly impacts the mental health of older adults, its dynamic relationship remains unclear. This study used five-wave data from CHARLS (2011-2020) to construct linear and nonlinear growth curve models, and analyzed 1828 participants aged 60-74 (64.57 ± 3.74) to explore the effect of social engagement on their mental health. Results showed that quadratic growth curve models fit life satisfaction and depression better, with an inverted U-shape for life satisfaction and a U-shape for depression. Social engagement was positively associated with life satisfaction at both T1 and T3 time points, and negatively associated with depression at T1, T2 and T5. This indicates that older adults with greater social engagement experience higher levels of life satisfaction and lower levels of depression. Also, the number of chronic diseases is found to be crucial for older adults' mental health. Therefore, future efforts should encourage older people to participate in social and community activities and monitor their physical health, to improve their quality of life and maintain positive mental states.