Perceived stress and death-related distress in older adults: Exploring the role of social support and emotional loneliness

The purpose of this study was to examine whether emotional loneliness and social support mediated the association between perceived stress and death distress in older adults. The sample consisted of 524 older adults, aged between 65 and 88, living in an urban area in Türkiye (<i>M</i> = 70.05, <i>SD</i> = 5.01). Mediation analyses revealed that perceived stress is positively associated with death distress and emotional loneliness, and negatively associated with social support. Both social support and emotional loneliness mediate the relationship between perceived stress and death-related distress. Additionally, social support mediates the association between emotional loneliness and perceived stress with death distress in older adults. These findings underscore the importance of social resources in promoting mental health and well-being, and in mitigating the adverse effects of stress and loneliness on death-related feelings and thoughts in older adults. By providing emotional and practical assistance, social support can significantly enhance the mental health and well-being of older adults.