Daily Emotion Expression, Modes of Social Contact, and Well-Being in Late Life
2024
Daily Emotion Expression and Well-Being in Older Adults
Sample size: 286
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Zhang Shiyang, Richards Nicole, Gao Sibo, Fingerman Karen
Primary Institution: University of Texas at Austin
Hypothesis
In-person contact may provide better emotional expression and well-being compared to remote contact.
Conclusion
Older adults benefit emotionally from expressing both positive and negative feelings during in-person contact.
Supporting Evidence
- In-person contact was associated with more words expressing negative feelings.
- Using both positive and negative words was linked to a better mood.
- Participants indicated their social contact and mood every 3 hours for 5 to 6 days.
Takeaway
Talking to people face-to-face can help older adults feel better by sharing their feelings, both happy and sad.
Methodology
Participants completed ecological momentary assessments and wore devices to capture their speech, which was analyzed for emotional content.
Participant Demographics
Community-dwelling older adults aged 65 - 90, average age 73.95.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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