RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRESSES AND MENTAL HEALTH IN THE ELDERLY: FOCUSED ON MEDIATING EFFECTS OF SELF-DICLOSURE AND SOCIAL COMPARISON

Objective: This research aims to investigate the relations of between self-disclosure and social comparison, stresses in senescence to hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation, and examine the roles of self-disclosure and social comparison in stresses and mental health factors or suicidal ideation of the elderly. Methods: Participants were 399 elderly men and women who were at least 65 years of age. For this study, stresses in senescence, self-disclosure, downward social comparison, hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation were measured. And, for statistical analyses, Pearson correlational analysis, hierarchical regression analysis, and structural equation modeling were used. Results: The stress in senescence was positively related to self-disclosure and downward social comparison as well as hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation. And, self-disclosure and downward social comparison was also positively related to hopelessness, depression, and suicidal ideation. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that self-disclosure and downward social comparison were not mediating the stress in senescence and mental health factors, such as hopelessness and depression. But, they were mediating the relations of the stress in senescence and suicidal ideation. In structural equation model, downward social comparison was mediating not only the stress in senescence but also self-disclosure to suicidal ideation of the elderly. Meanwhile, direct effect of the stress in senescence on suicidal ideation was stronger than direct effect of mental health factors, such as hopelessness and depression. Results of this study suggested downward social comparison is determinant variable which has negative roles in suicidal ideation of the elderly.