LONELINESS AND PERCEIVED STRESS IN THE ELDERLY: THE CHAIN MEDIATING EFFECT OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AND SENSE OF MEANING IN LIFE.

Background To analyze the correlation between loneliness and perceived stress in the elderly, and to explore the chain mediating effect of perceived social support and a sense of meaning in life on loneliness and perceived stress. Methods Convenient cluster sampling was used to conduct a survey on 634 elderly people in Wuhu City, Anhui Province, using the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA), Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS), Meaning of Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results Loneliness was positively correlated with perceived stress (r=0.26, P<0.01); Perceived social support was negatively correlated with loneliness and perceived stress (r=-0.28, -0.35, P<0.01). The sense of meaning in life was negatively correlated with loneliness and perceived stress (r=-0.24, -0.34, P<0.01). Perceived social support plays a mediating effect between loneliness and perceived stress. The sense of meaning in life plays a mediating effect between loneliness and perceived stress. Perceived social support and a sense of meaning in life play a chain mediating effect between loneliness and perceived stress. Conclusion The research results reveal the synergistic protective effect of psychosocial resources and cognitive evaluation factors in alleviating the impact of loneliness on stress perception, providing a theoretical basis and practical direction for mental health intervention for the elderly.