Personality, social support, and loneliness among centenarians: a comparison between self- and proxy reports

Abstract

Personality and social provisions as important personal and environmental resources have important effects on loneliness. The purpose of this study was to compare self- and proxy reports about centenarians concerning the relationship among personality, social support and loneliness. The mediating and moderating effects of social provisions between personality and loneliness were also examined. The sample included 124 centenarians and their proxies in the Georgia Centenarian Study. Demographic variables, education, subjective health, depression, Extraversion, Neuroticism and social provisions were included as measurements. Paired t-tests, bivariate correlations, multiple regression analyses and path models were computed. Results indicated that proxies reported significantly higher scores on social provisions and loneliness than centenarians themselves. The structural models for self- and proxy reports were quite similar. Neuroticism and social provisions predicted loneliness in both centenarian self- and proxy reports. Extraversion affected loneliness indirectly through social provisions in both self- and proxy report models. No moderating effects of social provisions were found in self- or proxy reports. There are commonalities between centenarian self- and proxy reports but there are also important differences that suggest unique variance to each perspective. Results indicate that proxy reports should be viewed as supplemental information for researcher and practitioners. Knowing the differences of centenarian self- and proxy reports could help caregivers realize the difference in perspective and help them learn about the centenarians' loneliness better and thus provide improved quality of care and help.

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