Relationship between hearing status, personal social capital, and depressive symptoms among older adults

This study explored the relationships among hearing status, personal social capital, and depressive symptoms in Chinese older adults, aiming to elucidate whether social capital mediates the link between hearing status and depressive symptoms, thereby offering insights into mitigating psychological challenges in this demographic. Carried out between May and December 2023 across Shanghai, Hangzhou, Baoding, and Zhengzhou, China, the survey encompassed 1215 individuals aged 60 and above. Employing structural equation modeling and Bootstrap analysis, the study revealed that poorer hearing status in older adults was correlated with reduced levels of personal social capital and heightened depressive symptoms. Notably, personal social capital exhibited a negative association with depressive symptoms. Further analysis uncovered the mediating role of personal social capital in the relationship between hearing status and depressive symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing personal social capital among older adults to alleviate depressive symptoms and enhance mental well-being. (c) 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)