Behind closed doors: Homeboundness and psychosocial outcomes. Evidence from a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults
Issued Date
2025-04-01
Resource Type
ISSN
01674943
eISSN
18726976
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85215577868
Journal Title
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Volume
131
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Vol.131 (2025)
Suggested Citation
Hajek A., Soysal P., Gyasi R.M., Kostev K., Pengpid S., Peltzer K., König H.H. Behind closed doors: Homeboundness and psychosocial outcomes. Evidence from a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Vol.131 (2025). doi:10.1016/j.archger.2025.105767 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/103053
Title
Behind closed doors: Homeboundness and psychosocial outcomes. Evidence from a longitudinal study of middle-aged and older adults
Author's Affiliation
College of Medical and Health Science
Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi
African Population and Health Research Center
University of the Free State
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)
Mahidol University
Southern Cross University
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg, Standort Marburg
Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi
African Population and Health Research Center
University of the Free State
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)
Mahidol University
Southern Cross University
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg, Standort Marburg
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Objectives: To examine how homeboundness is associated with psychosocial outcomes in terms of life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect and loneliness among middle-aged and older adults. Methods: Longitudinal data were taken from the nationally representative sample German Ageing Survey (wave 1 to wave 4; n = 18,491 observations). This study included community-dwelling individuals aged 40 years and over in Germany. The mean age in the analytic sample was 62.3 years (SD: 11.8 years). Established tools were used to quantify the psychosocial outcomes. Spending six or more days per week at home was defined as homeboundness. It was adjusted for several time-varying covariates. An asymmetric linear FE regression model with cluster-robust standard errors was applied. Results: There was a robust association between the onset of homeboundness and an increase in loneliness. Among individuals aged 40 to 64 years, the onset of homeboundness was significantly associated with decreases in positive affect, whereas the end of homeboundness was significantly associated with decreases in negative affect. In contrast, changes in homeboundness status were not significantly associated with changes in psychosocial outcomes among individuals aged 65 years and over. Conclusion: The onset of homeboundness in particular can contribute to unfavorable psychosocial outcomes, particularly in terms of increases in loneliness. Efforts to avoid homeboundness may assist in ageing successfully.