| With the development of the economy and improvements in medical conditions,people have become more concerned about health,including mental health and well-being.Improving people’s health can reduce national medical expenses,promote social stability,increase social productivity,and improve the quality of life.China’s increasing elderly population has led to growing concerns about their health,particularly for rural elderly individuals who face disadvantages in terms of economic income,social security,and medical and health services.Rural elderly individuals have a large population size,and addressing their health issues is crucial for maintaining social stability.Mental health problems among rural elderly individuals are more insidious and harmful than physical health problems,and therefore require more attention.Social capital refers to the various trust,cooperation,and reciprocal relationships that exist in society,which is a resource that can promote social interaction and cooperation.In rural areas,social capital can have a positive impact on the psychological well-being of the elderly in various ways,including the following four aspects: 1.Help the elderly feel social support: Social capital can help the elderly feel supported and recognized by society,enhance their self-esteem and self-confidence,and reduce social isolation and loneliness.2.Provide social support and mutual aid:Social capital can provide social support and mutual aid opportunities for the elderly,increase the frequency of social activities and opportunities for social interaction,and reduce psychological stress and depressive symptoms.3.Promote the active participation of the elderly in social activities: Social capital can encourage the elderly to actively participate in social activities,increase their social networks and interpersonal relationships,and improve their quality of life and psychological well-being.4.Enhance the old people’s sense of self-efficacy: Social capital can help the elderly establish a sense of self-efficacy,improve their sense of control and self-management ability in life,and thereby reduce anxiety and depression and other psychological problems.This study on the impact of social capital on the individual psychological well-being of rural elderly has practical and theoretical significance.This article uses social capital theory,social network theory,and social identity theory,and uses 2018 CHARLS data to study the relationship between social capital and psychological health.Firstly,in terms of variable settings,social capital is divided into connectivity social capital and cohesion social capital,and further divided into individual social capital,family social capital,interpersonal relationships,and relationships with relatives and friends.Psychological health is further divided into cognitive ability,memory ability,and depression index.Secondly,before conducting the regression,the variables participating in the regression are analyzed for correlation to see if they meet the model requirements.Thirdly,using the OLS regression model,the impact of social capital on the psychological health of rural elderly is analyzed.Finally,theoretical interpretation is made based on the data results.The main conclusions of this study are as follows: First,social capital has a positive effect on the psychological health of rural elderly.In terms of the cognitive ability of rural elderly,individual social capital and interpersonal relationships have a significant promoting effect on the cognitive ability of rural elderly;in terms of the memory ability of rural elderly,individual social capital,family social capital,interpersonal relationships,and helping relatives and friends have a significant promoting effect on the memory ability of rural elderly;in terms of the depression level of rural elderly,individual social capital and family social capital have a significant inhibitory effect on the depression of rural elderly.Second,the impact of social capital on the psychological health of rural elderly shows differences in age and gender... |
