title: Social ties and psychological well-being in late life: the mediating role of relationship satisfaction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current paper examines whether quantitative aspects of social support (i.e., support network characteristics) indirectly influence psychological well-being via older adults' qualitative perceptions of support (i.e., satisfaction with social relationships).
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 416 adults aged ≥60 was drawn from the Social Integration and Aging Study, a community-based survey conducted in a small US (Midwestern) city. The survey assessed social networks, social support, and physical and mental health among older adults.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bootstrapping was used to examine mediation models. Greater support network size predicted lower perceived stress, fewer depressive symptoms, and better life satisfaction, yet this association was fully mediated by relationship satisfaction. For support network composition, greater proportion kin was associated with lower stress and better life satisfaction, though not depressive symptoms, however, relationship satisfaction did not mediate this link.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings highlight the complex interplay of support network characteristics and satisfaction, and suggest the greater import of support satisfaction for older adults' psychological well-being.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Human Development and Family Science , North Dakota State University , Fargo , ND , USA.
authors.forename: Heather R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Fuller-Iglesias
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: depressive symptoms; life satisfaction; stress; support networks; support satisfaction