Are newly added and lost confidants in later life related to subsequent mental health?

BACKGROUND: This study examined internal changes in the personal social networks of older people and the relationship between these changes and mental health over time. It focused on two key aspects: emotional closeness and contact frequency with lost and newly added confidants.

METHODS: The study was based on data from the fourth (2011) and sixth (2015) waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The study sample consisted of respondents aged 65 years and older who participated in both waves (n = 14,101). We performed OLS regressions in which the scores on two mental health indicators over time - depressive symptoms (Euro-D) and perceived quality of life (CASP-12) - were regressed on the relationship with lost and newly added confidants, controlling for baseline social networks, socio-demographic, and health variables.

RESULTS: The nature of the relationship with the lost and newly added confidants was associated with mental health, beyond the number of these confidants. Emotional closeness with newly added confidants was related to improved mental health in both indicators (B = -0.09, CI = -0.14 to -0.04 for depression; B =1.13, CI = 0.67-1.60 for quality of life). Losing frequently contacted confidants was associated with higher depressive symptoms (B = 0.09, CI = 0.02-0.15).

CONCLUSIONS: The results show the positive mental health implications of adding emotionally close confidants to older adults' social milieus, and the negative effects of losing frequently contacted confidants. Practitioners are advised to pay attention to the quality of such changing relationships, due to their mental health consequences.