Within-Person Dynamics of Objective and Subjective Social Isolation in Midlife and Later Life

Objectives To investigate the within-person dynamics of objective and subjective social isolation among U.S. middle-aged and older adults and to explore gender differences in this relationship. Methods: Four waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, 2006-2018, N = 5437) and the multiple group random intercept cross-lagged panel model were used. Results: Within-person deviation in expected subjective isolation predicted deviation in expected objective isolation years later. No corresponding cross-lagged effect of objective isolation on subjective isolation was found. Gender differences were detected: the within-person cross-lagged positive effect of subjective isolation on objective isolation was significant for men but not for women. Discussion: This study provides evidence for a unidirectional relationship between subjective and objective isolation at the within-person level: higher than expected increase in subjective isolation predicts higher than expected increase in subsequent objective isolation. This within-person process is more salient in men than in women.