Self-esteem as a mediator in the relationship between perceived age stigma and emotional well-being among Korean older adults: the moderation effect of marital status

Abstract

Objectives

This study examined whether self-esteem mediates the association between perceived age stigma and emotional well-being (loneliness and emotional isolation) among Korean older adults and how these processes differ by marital status.

Methods

Using the 2018 Age Integration and Generation Integration Survey, a cross-sectional national survey of Korean adults, we analyzed data from 266 adults aged 60 and older.

Results

Older adults who perceived greater age stigma reported higher levels of loneliness and emotional isolation. Self-esteem played a significant indirect role in the association between perceived age stigma and the two emotional well-being outcomes. Moderated mediation analyses further revealed significant differences by marital status: self-esteem was a more powerful mechanism among unmarried older adults relative to their married counterparts.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that efforts to minimize public and internalized stigmatization of older adults and improve their self-esteem may be critical for their emotional well-being.

Keywords:

• Perceived age-related stigma
• loneliness
• emotional isolation
• self-esteem
• marital status

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea under Grant# 2020S1A5C2A03092919.