ISSN 0439-755X
CN 11-1911/B
CN 11-1911/B
Acta Psychologica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (12): 2131-2148.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.2131
• Reports of Empirical Studies • Previous Articles Next Articles
FAN Yunge, MA Zijuan, LIN Weishi, ZHANG Rui, WANG Dongfang(
), FAN Fang()
Published:2025-12-25
Online:2025-09-28
Contact:
WANG Dongfang,FAN Fang
E-mail:wangdf@m.scnu.edu.cn;fangfan@scnu.edu.cn
FAN Yunge, MA Zijuan, LIN Weishi, ZHANG Rui, WANG Dongfang, FAN Fang. (2025). The concept and dimensional characteristics of spiritual support for older adults in contemporary China. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 57(12), 2131-2148.
| Groups | Home-based care setting | Institutional care setting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | n | % | |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 16 | 50.0% | 3 | 15.0% |
| Female | 16 | 50.0% | 17 | 85.0% |
| Age (years) | ||||
| 60~69 | 24 | 75.0% | 1 | 5.0% |
| 70~79 | 5 | 15.6% | 4 | 20.0% |
| ≥ 80 | 3 | 9.4% | 15 | 75.0% |
Table 1 Demographic Characteristics of Older Adults
| Groups | Home-based care setting | Institutional care setting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | % | n | % | |
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 16 | 50.0% | 3 | 15.0% |
| Female | 16 | 50.0% | 17 | 85.0% |
| Age (years) | ||||
| 60~69 | 24 | 75.0% | 1 | 5.0% |
| 70~79 | 5 | 15.6% | 4 | 20.0% |
| ≥ 80 | 3 | 9.4% | 15 | 75.0% |
| Interviewees | Interview questions |
|---|---|
| Older adults | What are your main spiritual needs? |
| In your opinion, what aspects should contemporary spiritual support for older adults include? | |
| Considering your current situation, in which aspects would you like to receive more spiritual comfort? | |
| Children of older adults | In your opinion, what aspects should contemporary spiritual support for older adults include? |
| As children, in what ways do you think caring for and attending to your parents can provide them with greater psychological comfort? | |
| What other sources do you consider important for your parents to receive spiritual support? | |
| Caregivers | In your opinion, what aspects should contemporary spiritual support for older adults include? |
| From which aspects should elderly care institutions provide attention and support to ensure older adults receive greater psychological comfort? | |
| What other sources do you consider important for older adults to receive spiritual support? |
Table 2 Interview Outline on the Connotation and Dimensional Characteristics of Spiritual Support
| Interviewees | Interview questions |
|---|---|
| Older adults | What are your main spiritual needs? |
| In your opinion, what aspects should contemporary spiritual support for older adults include? | |
| Considering your current situation, in which aspects would you like to receive more spiritual comfort? | |
| Children of older adults | In your opinion, what aspects should contemporary spiritual support for older adults include? |
| As children, in what ways do you think caring for and attending to your parents can provide them with greater psychological comfort? | |
| What other sources do you consider important for your parents to receive spiritual support? | |
| Caregivers | In your opinion, what aspects should contemporary spiritual support for older adults include? |
| From which aspects should elderly care institutions provide attention and support to ensure older adults receive greater psychological comfort? | |
| What other sources do you consider important for older adults to receive spiritual support? |
| No. | Open Coding | Reference Points (No.) | Main Coding (Category) | Selective Coding (Third-Level Coding) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daily Health Care | 15 | Medical Care | Health Security (Sense of Security) |
| 2 | Daily Physical Condition | 5 | ||
| 3 | Nearby Medical Services | 4 | ||
| 4 | Convenient Medication | 3 | ||
| 5 | Volunteer Services at Medical Facilities | 1 | ||
| 6 | Medical Quality | 1 | ||
| 7 | Medical Security | 8 | Policy Welfare | |
| 8 | Living Security | 3 | ||
| 9 | Long-term Care Insurance | 3 | ||
| 10 | Community Care | 1 | ||
| 11 | Medical Measures | 1 | ||
| 12 | Integration of Medical and Elderly Care | 7 | Integration of Medical and Elderly Care | |
| 13 | Autonomy of Living Space | 12 | Spatial Freedom | Independence and Freedom (Sense of Autonomy) |
| 14 | Free Travel | 8 | Freedom to Travel | |
| 15 | Leave for Travel | 1 | ||
| 16 | Autonomous Living | 12 | Freedom of Choice | |
| 17 | Dietary Freedom | 9 | ||
| 18 | Freedom of Life Choices | 4 | ||
| 19 | Freedom of Time | 1 | ||
| 20 | Freedom of Speech | 1 | ||
| 21 | Diverse Activities | 21 | Surrounding Activities | Educational Activities (Sense of Competence) |
| 22 | Group Activities | 9 | ||
| 23 | Free or Low-cost Activities | 5 | ||
| 24 | Professional Teaching | 3 | ||
| 25 | Care Activities | 2 | ||
| 26 | Course Opening | 2 | ||
| 27 | Street Activities | 1 | ||
| 28 | Personal Activities | 1 | ||
| 29 | Activity Funding Support | 1 | ||
| 30 | Travel Outdoors | 12 | Outdoor Activities | |
| 31 | Need for Activity Venues | 17 | Activity Venues | |
| 32 | Senior Activity Centers | 4 | ||
| 33 | Senior Universities | 1 | ||
| 34 | Prayer Halls | 1 | ||
| 35 | Respect | 26 | Existential Value | Meaning of Life (Sense of Value) |
| 36 | Meaning of Life | 8 | ||
| 37 | Role as a Parent | 7 | ||
| 38 | Importance Given | 4 | ||
| 39 | Feeling Needed | 1 | ||
| 40 | Life Attachment | 1 | ||
| 41 | Value of Labor | 7 | Self-worth | |
| 42 | Value of Volunteering | 6 | ||
| 43 | Value of Appearance | 3 | ||
| 44 | Value of Performance | 2 | ||
| 45 | Value of Contribution | 1 | ||
| 46 | Value of Learning | 1 | ||
| 47 | Value of Teaching | 1 | ||
| 48 | Children's Accompaniment | 19 | Intimate Relationships | Social Interaction (Sense of Belonging) |
| 49 | Daily Visits from Children | 13 | ||
| 50 | Family Accompaniment | 6 | ||
| 51 | Contact with Children | 6 | Intimate Relationships | Social Interaction (Sense of Belonging) |
| 52 | Visits from Children When Sick | 4 | ||
| 53 | Visits from Children on Special Holidays | 2 | ||
| 54 | Care from Children | 1 | ||
| 55 | Encouragement from Children | 1 | ||
| 56 | Spouse Accompaniment | 1 | ||
| 57 | Neighbor Interaction | 11 | Friendship | |
| 58 | Staff Interaction | 7 | ||
| 59 | Interaction with Familiar Friends | 5 | ||
| 60 | Interaction with Peers | 2 | ||
| 61 | Lively Group | 3 | Group Interaction | |
| 62 | Community Care | 1 | ||
| 63 | Interaction with Strangers | 16 | Casual Acquaintances | |
| 64 | Making New Friends | 7 | ||
| 65 | Language Needs | 1 | ||
| 66 | Inner Confession | 5 | Inner Confession | |
| 67 | Professional Confession | 3 | ||
| Total | 362 | |||
Table 3 Distribution of Coding Nodes for the Spiritual Support of Older Adults
| No. | Open Coding | Reference Points (No.) | Main Coding (Category) | Selective Coding (Third-Level Coding) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daily Health Care | 15 | Medical Care | Health Security (Sense of Security) |
| 2 | Daily Physical Condition | 5 | ||
| 3 | Nearby Medical Services | 4 | ||
| 4 | Convenient Medication | 3 | ||
| 5 | Volunteer Services at Medical Facilities | 1 | ||
| 6 | Medical Quality | 1 | ||
| 7 | Medical Security | 8 | Policy Welfare | |
| 8 | Living Security | 3 | ||
| 9 | Long-term Care Insurance | 3 | ||
| 10 | Community Care | 1 | ||
| 11 | Medical Measures | 1 | ||
| 12 | Integration of Medical and Elderly Care | 7 | Integration of Medical and Elderly Care | |
| 13 | Autonomy of Living Space | 12 | Spatial Freedom | Independence and Freedom (Sense of Autonomy) |
| 14 | Free Travel | 8 | Freedom to Travel | |
| 15 | Leave for Travel | 1 | ||
| 16 | Autonomous Living | 12 | Freedom of Choice | |
| 17 | Dietary Freedom | 9 | ||
| 18 | Freedom of Life Choices | 4 | ||
| 19 | Freedom of Time | 1 | ||
| 20 | Freedom of Speech | 1 | ||
| 21 | Diverse Activities | 21 | Surrounding Activities | Educational Activities (Sense of Competence) |
| 22 | Group Activities | 9 | ||
| 23 | Free or Low-cost Activities | 5 | ||
| 24 | Professional Teaching | 3 | ||
| 25 | Care Activities | 2 | ||
| 26 | Course Opening | 2 | ||
| 27 | Street Activities | 1 | ||
| 28 | Personal Activities | 1 | ||
| 29 | Activity Funding Support | 1 | ||
| 30 | Travel Outdoors | 12 | Outdoor Activities | |
| 31 | Need for Activity Venues | 17 | Activity Venues | |
| 32 | Senior Activity Centers | 4 | ||
| 33 | Senior Universities | 1 | ||
| 34 | Prayer Halls | 1 | ||
| 35 | Respect | 26 | Existential Value | Meaning of Life (Sense of Value) |
| 36 | Meaning of Life | 8 | ||
| 37 | Role as a Parent | 7 | ||
| 38 | Importance Given | 4 | ||
| 39 | Feeling Needed | 1 | ||
| 40 | Life Attachment | 1 | ||
| 41 | Value of Labor | 7 | Self-worth | |
| 42 | Value of Volunteering | 6 | ||
| 43 | Value of Appearance | 3 | ||
| 44 | Value of Performance | 2 | ||
| 45 | Value of Contribution | 1 | ||
| 46 | Value of Learning | 1 | ||
| 47 | Value of Teaching | 1 | ||
| 48 | Children's Accompaniment | 19 | Intimate Relationships | Social Interaction (Sense of Belonging) |
| 49 | Daily Visits from Children | 13 | ||
| 50 | Family Accompaniment | 6 | ||
| 51 | Contact with Children | 6 | Intimate Relationships | Social Interaction (Sense of Belonging) |
| 52 | Visits from Children When Sick | 4 | ||
| 53 | Visits from Children on Special Holidays | 2 | ||
| 54 | Care from Children | 1 | ||
| 55 | Encouragement from Children | 1 | ||
| 56 | Spouse Accompaniment | 1 | ||
| 57 | Neighbor Interaction | 11 | Friendship | |
| 58 | Staff Interaction | 7 | ||
| 59 | Interaction with Familiar Friends | 5 | ||
| 60 | Interaction with Peers | 2 | ||
| 61 | Lively Group | 3 | Group Interaction | |
| 62 | Community Care | 1 | ||
| 63 | Interaction with Strangers | 16 | Casual Acquaintances | |
| 64 | Making New Friends | 7 | ||
| 65 | Language Needs | 1 | ||
| 66 | Inner Confession | 5 | Inner Confession | |
| 67 | Professional Confession | 3 | ||
| Total | 362 | |||
| Core category | Example from home-based care setting | Example from institutional care setting |
|---|---|---|
| Health security (Sense of safety) | “Right now, what farmers care about most is their health. Farmers simply cannot afford to get sick. Improving social security benefits is crucial. The current social security payments of a few hundred yuan are not enough for the elderly to live on.” | “I feel that community hospitals are becoming fewer and fewer, when in fact there should be more… Especially here, there are still many nursing homes; in our area, there are at least four. Apart from private hospitals, the nearest regular hospitals are quite far away.” |
| Social interaction (Sense of belonging) | “Especially for those of us who come from other provinces, with language barriers, unfamiliar food, and a different climate, without relatives, classmates, or colleagues. Over time, we just want to meet people in the community and spend time with them.” | “When I saw the hand dance, I was interested; it was great, and I brought my friend along… People aren’t young forever. As we age, we need more friends, and someday we will need help from others.” |
| Educational activities (Sense of competence) | “The elderly’s spiritual and cultural life has become richer. Conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law at home can be reduced. Taking care of children requires some leisure activities, which can reduce family friction. I think this is positive energy in contemporary life.” | “One advantage of our nursing home is that many older adults take classes. But now, because fewer seniors are living here, the courses have decreased. Before, we had calligraphy classes, paper-cutting classes, piano classes, computer classes—so many. Every day was busy.” |
| Independence and freedom (Sense of autonomy) | “Children and the elderly do need some personal space because everyone’s eating habits and daily routines are different.” | “Older adults also need their own space and don’t want to trouble their children. If we are still able to move around independently, we all hope to have our own space. Here in the nursing home, we have private kitchens, private bathrooms, and private rooms.” |
| Meaning of life (Sense of value) | “In old age, one needs to feel needed. They may not particularly enjoy taking care of children, but if they help their children with childcare, the children will surely show appreciation, which brings emotional and psychological satisfaction to older adults.” | “We need outsiders to talk with us and visit us… because it makes us feel that we exist. Elderly people also have their own needs. Even though they are old, they want to learn more, and gaining more knowledge gives them a sense of self-worth.” |
Table 4 Examples of Interview Data on the Connotation of Spiritual Support
| Core category | Example from home-based care setting | Example from institutional care setting |
|---|---|---|
| Health security (Sense of safety) | “Right now, what farmers care about most is their health. Farmers simply cannot afford to get sick. Improving social security benefits is crucial. The current social security payments of a few hundred yuan are not enough for the elderly to live on.” | “I feel that community hospitals are becoming fewer and fewer, when in fact there should be more… Especially here, there are still many nursing homes; in our area, there are at least four. Apart from private hospitals, the nearest regular hospitals are quite far away.” |
| Social interaction (Sense of belonging) | “Especially for those of us who come from other provinces, with language barriers, unfamiliar food, and a different climate, without relatives, classmates, or colleagues. Over time, we just want to meet people in the community and spend time with them.” | “When I saw the hand dance, I was interested; it was great, and I brought my friend along… People aren’t young forever. As we age, we need more friends, and someday we will need help from others.” |
| Educational activities (Sense of competence) | “The elderly’s spiritual and cultural life has become richer. Conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law at home can be reduced. Taking care of children requires some leisure activities, which can reduce family friction. I think this is positive energy in contemporary life.” | “One advantage of our nursing home is that many older adults take classes. But now, because fewer seniors are living here, the courses have decreased. Before, we had calligraphy classes, paper-cutting classes, piano classes, computer classes—so many. Every day was busy.” |
| Independence and freedom (Sense of autonomy) | “Children and the elderly do need some personal space because everyone’s eating habits and daily routines are different.” | “Older adults also need their own space and don’t want to trouble their children. If we are still able to move around independently, we all hope to have our own space. Here in the nursing home, we have private kitchens, private bathrooms, and private rooms.” |
| Meaning of life (Sense of value) | “In old age, one needs to feel needed. They may not particularly enjoy taking care of children, but if they help their children with childcare, the children will surely show appreciation, which brings emotional and psychological satisfaction to older adults.” | “We need outsiders to talk with us and visit us… because it makes us feel that we exist. Elderly people also have their own needs. Even though they are old, they want to learn more, and gaining more knowledge gives them a sense of self-worth.” |
Figure 1. Theoretical Model of Spiritual Support for Older Adults.
| Assessment items | Health security | Social interaction | Educational activities | Independence and freedom | Meaning of life | Commonality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JS1. I feel powerless to cope with or handle sudden health problems. | 0.66 | 0.47 | ||||
| JS8. I worry about my current or future health conditions. | 0.77 | 0.64 | ||||
| JS16. I am worried about my future retirement security. | 0.70 | 0.58 | ||||
| JS24. I often worry that no one will be able to take care of me if I encounter health problems. | 0.73 | 0.59 | ||||
| JS12. When I encounter problems, I can get satisfactory help from my children. | 0.80 | 0.75 | ||||
| JS13. I can always receive help, support, and encouragement when needed. | 0.75 | 0.73 | ||||
| JS20. I often worry that my children do not truly care about me. | 0.59 | 0.53 | ||||
| JS27. I often feel lonely. | 0.60 | 0.48 | ||||
| JS30. I am satisfied with the overall current life situation of my children. | 0.72 | 0.63 | ||||
| JS31. There are people who regularly show concern, visit, or care for me. | 0.60 | 0.55 | ||||
| JS32. I often feel angry or disappointed with my children. | 0.70 | 0.57 | ||||
| JS3. I am satisfied with the cultural and recreational activities I currently participate in. | 0.79 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS10. I am satisfied with the cultural and recreational facilities and venues around me. | 0.77 | 0.71 | ||||
| JS18. I feel that I grow and change positively through participation in cultural and recreational activities. | 0.76 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS26. Participating in cultural and recreational activities makes my daily life feel fulfilling and enjoyable. | 0.80 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS2. I can freely choose my lifestyle. | 0.77 | 0.70 | ||||
| JS9. Most of what I can or cannot do is determined by myself. | 0.75 | 0.65 | ||||
| JS17. I can arrange my life independently without being influenced by others. | 0.76 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS21. I get along well with people around me. | 0.55 | 0.59 | ||||
| JS15. I can find suitable opportunities to realize my value. | 0.85 | 0.73 | ||||
| JS29. I am able to resolve conflicts quickly. | 0.62 | 0.56 | ||||
| JS33. I feel that I am a valuable person. | 0.77 | 0.69 | ||||
| Rotated eigenvalues | 1.41 | 7.61 | 2.32 | 1.54 | 1.15 | |
| Variance explained (%) | 10.84 | 17.65 | 14.35 | 11.63 | 9.34 | 63.82 |
Table 5 Factor Loadings of the Perceived Spiritual Support Questionnaire for Older Adults
| Assessment items | Health security | Social interaction | Educational activities | Independence and freedom | Meaning of life | Commonality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JS1. I feel powerless to cope with or handle sudden health problems. | 0.66 | 0.47 | ||||
| JS8. I worry about my current or future health conditions. | 0.77 | 0.64 | ||||
| JS16. I am worried about my future retirement security. | 0.70 | 0.58 | ||||
| JS24. I often worry that no one will be able to take care of me if I encounter health problems. | 0.73 | 0.59 | ||||
| JS12. When I encounter problems, I can get satisfactory help from my children. | 0.80 | 0.75 | ||||
| JS13. I can always receive help, support, and encouragement when needed. | 0.75 | 0.73 | ||||
| JS20. I often worry that my children do not truly care about me. | 0.59 | 0.53 | ||||
| JS27. I often feel lonely. | 0.60 | 0.48 | ||||
| JS30. I am satisfied with the overall current life situation of my children. | 0.72 | 0.63 | ||||
| JS31. There are people who regularly show concern, visit, or care for me. | 0.60 | 0.55 | ||||
| JS32. I often feel angry or disappointed with my children. | 0.70 | 0.57 | ||||
| JS3. I am satisfied with the cultural and recreational activities I currently participate in. | 0.79 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS10. I am satisfied with the cultural and recreational facilities and venues around me. | 0.77 | 0.71 | ||||
| JS18. I feel that I grow and change positively through participation in cultural and recreational activities. | 0.76 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS26. Participating in cultural and recreational activities makes my daily life feel fulfilling and enjoyable. | 0.80 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS2. I can freely choose my lifestyle. | 0.77 | 0.70 | ||||
| JS9. Most of what I can or cannot do is determined by myself. | 0.75 | 0.65 | ||||
| JS17. I can arrange my life independently without being influenced by others. | 0.76 | 0.72 | ||||
| JS21. I get along well with people around me. | 0.55 | 0.59 | ||||
| JS15. I can find suitable opportunities to realize my value. | 0.85 | 0.73 | ||||
| JS29. I am able to resolve conflicts quickly. | 0.62 | 0.56 | ||||
| JS33. I feel that I am a valuable person. | 0.77 | 0.69 | ||||
| Rotated eigenvalues | 1.41 | 7.61 | 2.32 | 1.54 | 1.15 | |
| Variance explained (%) | 10.84 | 17.65 | 14.35 | 11.63 | 9.34 | 63.82 |
| Models | χ2 | df | χ2/df | CFI | TLI | SRMR | RMSEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-factor | 259.198 | 131 | 1.98 | 0.95 | 0.91 | 0.03 | 0.04 |
| 4-factor | 329.270 | 149 | 2.21 | 0.93 | 0.89 | 0.03 | 0.05 |
| 3-factor | 390.542 | 168 | 2.31 | 0.91 | 0.87 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
| 2-factor | 496.808 | 188 | 2.67 | 0.87 | 0.84 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| 1-factor | 955.942 | 209 | 4.57 | 0.69 | 0.66 | 0.10 | 0.08 |
Table 6 Fit Indices for Competing Factor Models of the Perceived Spiritual Support Questionnaire
| Models | χ2 | df | χ2/df | CFI | TLI | SRMR | RMSEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-factor | 259.198 | 131 | 1.98 | 0.95 | 0.91 | 0.03 | 0.04 |
| 4-factor | 329.270 | 149 | 2.21 | 0.93 | 0.89 | 0.03 | 0.05 |
| 3-factor | 390.542 | 168 | 2.31 | 0.91 | 0.87 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
| 2-factor | 496.808 | 188 | 2.67 | 0.87 | 0.84 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| 1-factor | 955.942 | 209 | 4.57 | 0.69 | 0.66 | 0.10 | 0.08 |
Figure 2. Standardized Path of the Five-Factor Model of the Perceived Spiritual Support Questionnaire for Older Adults Note: Correlations among items have been specified.
| Perceived Spiritual Support Questionnaire | Loneliness | Depression | Anxiety |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total score | ?0.54*** | ?0.33*** | ?0.35*** |
| Health security (Sense of safety) | ?0.43*** | ?0.30*** | ?0.31*** |
| Social interaction (Sense of belonging) | ?0.56*** | ?0.21** | ?0.35*** |
| Educational activities (Sense of competence) | ?0.27*** | ?0.15* | ?0.16* |
| Independence and freedom (Sense of autonomy) | ?0.36*** | ?0.19** | ?0.21** |
| Meaning of life (Sense of value) | ?0.30*** | ?0.21** | ?0.19** |
Table 7 Correlations between the Perceived Spiritual Support Questionnaire for Older Adults and Criterion Variables
| Perceived Spiritual Support Questionnaire | Loneliness | Depression | Anxiety |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total score | ?0.54*** | ?0.33*** | ?0.35*** |
| Health security (Sense of safety) | ?0.43*** | ?0.30*** | ?0.31*** |
| Social interaction (Sense of belonging) | ?0.56*** | ?0.21** | ?0.35*** |
| Educational activities (Sense of competence) | ?0.27*** | ?0.15* | ?0.16* |
| Independence and freedom (Sense of autonomy) | ?0.36*** | ?0.19** | ?0.21** |
| Meaning of life (Sense of value) | ?0.30*** | ?0.21** | ?0.19** |
| Variables | M | SD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Perceived spiritual support | 3.33 | 0.45 | — | ||||||||
| 2 Health security | 3.15 | 0.75 | 0.63*** | — | |||||||
| 3 Social interaction | 3.51 | 0.55 | 0.85*** | 0.42*** | — | ||||||
| 4 Educational activities | 3.33 | 0.67 | 0.67*** | 0.20** | 0.46*** | — | |||||
| 5 Independence and freedom | 3.51 | 0.59 | 0.70*** | 0.27*** | 0.52*** | 0.45*** | — | ||||
| 6 Meaning of life | 2.92 | 0.82 | 0.55*** | 0.18** | 0.34*** | 0.23*** | 0.25*** | — | |||
| 7 Physical quality of life | 45.44 | 10.50 | 0.27*** | 0.29*** | 0.21** | 0.14* | 0.17* | 0.13 | — | ||
| 8 Mental quality of life | 57.73 | 10.01 | 0.22** | 0.15* | 0.21** | 0.12 | 0.16* | 0.10 | 0.05 | — | |
| 9 Frailty | 3.32 | 2.80 | ?0.30*** | ?0.30*** | ?0.23** | ?0.20** | ?0.17* | ?0.12 | ?0.63*** | ?0.45*** | — |
| 10 Decline in cognitive function | 2.30 | 1.85 | ?0.26*** | ?0.24*** | ?0.22** | ?0.13 | ?0.15* | ?0.13 | ?0.26*** | ?0.38*** | 0.43*** |
Table 8 Correlations between Perceived Spiritual Support, Quality of Life, Frailty, and Cognitive Function
| Variables | M | SD | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Perceived spiritual support | 3.33 | 0.45 | — | ||||||||
| 2 Health security | 3.15 | 0.75 | 0.63*** | — | |||||||
| 3 Social interaction | 3.51 | 0.55 | 0.85*** | 0.42*** | — | ||||||
| 4 Educational activities | 3.33 | 0.67 | 0.67*** | 0.20** | 0.46*** | — | |||||
| 5 Independence and freedom | 3.51 | 0.59 | 0.70*** | 0.27*** | 0.52*** | 0.45*** | — | ||||
| 6 Meaning of life | 2.92 | 0.82 | 0.55*** | 0.18** | 0.34*** | 0.23*** | 0.25*** | — | |||
| 7 Physical quality of life | 45.44 | 10.50 | 0.27*** | 0.29*** | 0.21** | 0.14* | 0.17* | 0.13 | — | ||
| 8 Mental quality of life | 57.73 | 10.01 | 0.22** | 0.15* | 0.21** | 0.12 | 0.16* | 0.10 | 0.05 | — | |
| 9 Frailty | 3.32 | 2.80 | ?0.30*** | ?0.30*** | ?0.23** | ?0.20** | ?0.17* | ?0.12 | ?0.63*** | ?0.45*** | — |
| 10 Decline in cognitive function | 2.30 | 1.85 | ?0.26*** | ?0.24*** | ?0.22** | ?0.13 | ?0.15* | ?0.13 | ?0.26*** | ?0.38*** | 0.43*** |
| Predictive variable | Physical quality of life (T2) | Mental quality of life (T2) | Frailty (T2) | Cognitive decline (T2) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 1a β | Model 2b β | Model 1a β | Model 2b β | Model 1a β | Model 2b β | Model 1a β | Model 2b β | |
| Perceived spiritual support (T1) | 0.27*** | 0.21** | 0.22** | 0.24** | ?0.30*** | ?0.26*** | ?0.26*** | ?0.24*** |
| R2 | 0.08 | 0.18 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.09 | 0.13 | 0.07 | 0.13 |
Table 9 Predictive Effects of Perceived Spiritual Support on Physical and Mental quality of life, Frailty, and Cognitive Function
| Predictive variable | Physical quality of life (T2) | Mental quality of life (T2) | Frailty (T2) | Cognitive decline (T2) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 1a β | Model 2b β | Model 1a β | Model 2b β | Model 1a β | Model 2b β | Model 1a β | Model 2b β | |
| Perceived spiritual support (T1) | 0.27*** | 0.21** | 0.22** | 0.24** | ?0.30*** | ?0.26*** | ?0.26*** | ?0.24*** |
| R2 | 0.08 | 0.18 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.09 | 0.13 | 0.07 | 0.13 |
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