Soclal support exchange and morale among the elderly : A cohort study

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In order to examine the hypothesis that reciprocal excnange of social support would lead to higher subjective well-being of the elderly, we conducted a questionnaire survey in a rural community in Japan.The subjects were elderly residents aged 60 and over (n=1,328). They were requested to fill out a questionnaire, which included 24 support items regarding the frequency of receiving and providing support between spouse, children and friends. The questionnaire also included. Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGC) as well as instrumental ADL (IADL), living arrangement, education and economi status.1) Test-retest and alpha reliability coefficients of six support scales were associated with receiving more and providing support significantly correlated to lower score in PGC.On the other hand, the elderly who provided support to their friends were more likely to score high in PGC.4) Follow-up survey conducted one year later (a cohort study) showed that only the negative effect of receiving support remained.The above findings do not support the original hypothesis, but suggest the importance of maintaining autonomy and providing support to others for well-being in later life.