Just Right or Too Much? The Curvilinear Effects of Person–Environment Fit on Subjective Well‐Being Among Chinese Older Adults

ABSTRACT China's accelerating population aging has sparked growing interest in the subjective well‐being (SWB) of older adults. Much of the existing literature on aging in place demonstrates that person–environment (P–E) fit significantly influences their SWB. However, little research has examined the effects in a potential curvilinear form. Using data from the 2023 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), this study developed a comprehensive measure of P–E fit based on individual and neighborhood characteristics across facility, service, and social domains. We employed structural equation modeling to examine the curvilinear associations of this measure with SWB (positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction). The findings reveal an inverted U‐shaped pattern. In general, higher P–E fit was associated with improved SWB. However, the too‐much‐of‐a‐good‐thing (TMGT) effect emerged, showing diminishing and even negative returns when the P–E fit was extremely high. Distinct mediating pathways were explored: physical activity mediated the link between facility fit and SWB, while social interaction mediated the associations of service fit and social fit with SWB. These findings highlight the importance of neighborhood interventions that are “just right” rather than “too much,” aligning resources with older adults' actual competencies to support active aging.