The influence of social support, resilience, and adversity on health: a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and related psychosocial processes have been widely linked to unfavorable health outcomes among children, adolescents, and younger adults. Research examining these relationships among middle-aged and older adults, however, is sparse. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the influence of ACEs and two psychosocial processes (i.e., perceived social support [PSS], psychological resilience [PR]) on global self-rated health among middle-aged and older adults. A total of 77 community-dwelling adults who resided in Saskatchewan completed a set of online self-report questionnaires regarding ACEs, PSS, PR, and global self-rated health. The sample included 57 cisgender females, 15 cisgender men, and 5 transgender men between the ages of 39 and 88 years (M = 65.36; SD = 9.00). Statistical analyses comprised of a series of multiple regressions with ACEs, PSS, and PR as the predictor variables and global self-rated health (i.e., rating of overall health, rating of overall health compared to peers, and satisfaction with overall current health) as the outcome variable. Results revealed that the model for overall health (p = .016) was significant with PR, p = .016, as a significant predictor in the model. Furthermore, the model for overall health compared to peers was significant with PR, p = .001, and PSS, p = .045, as significant predictors in the model. These findings provide preliminary support for interventions targeting psychological resilience and perceived social support to promote better self-rated health among middle-aged and older adults.