the effects of social support on loneliness and life satisfaction in elderly Korean immigrants

Kim, Ok Soo

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of social support on loneliness and life satisfaction in elderly Korean Immigrants living in the U.S.A. The sample consisted of 174 community-dwelling elderly Korean Immigrants who lived in a large Midwestern city area. Telephone interviews were used to collect the data using translated Korean version of the Social Support Questionnaire 6, Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Index-Z. A descriptive level correlational design was used in this study. Results indicated that the subjects had on the average of two to three emotional supporters. The mean score of social support satisfaction was between fairly and a little satisfaction on the scale. The mean score of loneliness was 42.60, indicating that the subjects were moderately lonely. the mean score of life satisfaction was 12.94, indicating that the subjects were moderately satisfied with their life. In this study, social support variables( network size and satisfaction ) had both a direct effect on life satisfaction and an indirect effect through loneliness. Elderly Korean immigrants who had the large number of people in their network were less lonely and thus more satisfied with their life than those who had the small number of people in their network. also, elderly Koreans who were more satisfied with social support were less lonely and thus more satisfied with their life than those who were less satisfied with social support. Social support satisfaction was a better predictor for loneliness and life satisfaction than social network size.