title: The role of interpersonal sensitivity, social support, and quality of life in rural older adults.
abstract: The mental health of elderly individuals in rural areas is increasingly relevant as populations age and social structures change. While social support satisfaction is a well-established predictor of quality of life, interpersonal sensitivity symptoms may diminish this relation. The current study extends the findings of Scogin et al by investigating the relationship among interpersonal sensitivity, social support satisfaction, and quality of life among rural older adults and exploring the mediating role of social support in the relation between interpersonal sensitivity and quality of life (N = 128). Hierarchical regression revealed that interpersonal sensitivity and social support satisfaction predicted quality of life. In addition, bootstrapping resampling supported the role of social support satisfaction as a mediator between interpersonal sensitivity symptoms and quality of life. These results underscore the importance of nurses and allied health providers in assessing and attending to negative self-perceptions of clients, as well as the perceived quality of their social networks.
authors.affiliation: Capstone College of Nursing, University of Alabama, USA. Electronic address: mwedgeworth@ua.edu.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wedgeworth
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: LaRocca
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, St. John's University, USA.
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Chaplin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Forrest
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scogin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012424:Rural Population; D012944:Social Support
keywords: Interpersonal sensitivity; Older adults; Quality of life; Rural; Social support