The Mediating Effect of Affective Solidarity in the Relations of Sense of Community and Loneliness: Focused on the Difference between the Middle-aged and Older Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examin the mediating effect of intergenerational affective solidarity in the relations of sense of community and loneliness, focusing on the difference between the middle-aged and older adults. Utilizing the survey data of generation perception in preparation for an aging society in 2017, we analyzed 307 middle aged(age 45-64) and 309 older adults(age over 65), which was the part of a nation-wide survey data collected by adults over 20(n=924). Bootstrapping mediation tests and multiple-group analysis for structural equation modeling were conducted. The results of this study showed that sense of community didn’t directly effect on loneliness in both the middle-aged and older adults. Also, it was found that affective solidarity mediated in the relations between the two variable of sense of community and loneliness and significantly lowered loneliness in both groups. Based on the results, practical ways to increase affective solidarity in order to improve the sense of community for preventing the problem of loneliness were discussed.