Emotion management, coping strategies, and subjective well-being in older persons (2005–2023): a bibliometric analysis

Emotion management and coping strategies among older persons significantly influence their subjective well-being. This paper aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of research on emotion management, coping strategies, and subjective well-being among older persons from 2005 to 2023. This analysis utilized two software packages, CiteSpace and VOSviewer, to explore the research landscape. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using two bibliometric techniques: performance and covariate analysis. The study examined 314 articles authored by 1183 contributors, most of whom were first-time participants in this research field. Aging & Mental Health and BMC Geriatrics were the most prominent journals publishing work in this area. Findings from the bibliometric analysis suggest that research on emotion management, coping strategies, and subjective well-being in older persons is relatively recent and is gaining momentum. The majority of significant studies originate from countries with rapidly aging populations, including the UK, USA, China, and several others. These countries have extensively explored topics such as subjective well-being, mental health, coping strategies, successful aging, and emotional regulation. However, the results also highlight considerable variation in how older persons manage emotions and cope, influenced by factors such as health status, living environment, income, gender, culture, and geography. This bibliometric analysis recommends valuable insights for researchers and policymakers, suggesting the need for proactive measures to improve social services for the aging population. It underscores the role of social workers in enhancing the social well-being of older persons and provides guidance for clinical mental health care aimed at promoting subjective well-being among older persons.