Age differences in emotional support buffering on the relationship between physical disability and psychological distress

Greater levels of physical disability are often accompanied by greater levels of psychological distress. Stress Buffering Theory (Cohen & Wills, 1985; Thoits, 2011) posits that the level of social support buffers this relationship. Life Stage Theory proposes the previously untested hypothesis that the salience of the buffering offered by social support may decrease with age - i.e., that as individuals age, emotional support offers a weaker buffer of the effect of disability on psychological distress (Segrin, 2003). This research tested a unified Stress Buffering/Life Stage model of psychological distress. We hypothesized that the buffering effect of emotional support is greater for younger adults than for older adults. Study data were drawn from 293 adults who self-identified as having a physical disability. Respondents' age, emotional support, psychological distress, and disability were assessed. A saturated three-way interaction analysis of covariance model was used to evaluate the association of disability and psychological distress, as buffered by emotional support, for older versus younger people. Results were consistent with a unified Stress Buffering Life Stage model. Greater levels of emotional support attenuated the relationship between disability and psychological distress for younger, but not for older, study participants. Self-reported measures and the cross-sectional design precludes making causal inferences. Emotional support may be particularly salient for younger people in buffering the effects of disability on psychological distress.