Perceived age stigma and emotional isolation in later life: a sequential mediation through self-esteem and aging anxiety

Objectives: This study explores a sequential mediation model in which self-esteem and aging anxiety mediate the relationship between perceived age stigma and emotional isolation among older adults aged 65 and over in South Korea. Method: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from 600 nationally representative older adults in the 2020 Ewha Study of Intergenerational Issues (ESoII) was conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping to assess sequential mediation effects. Results: Perceived age stigma was not directly associated with emotional isolation. However, it was negatively associated with self-esteem, which in turn was negatively associated with aging anxiety. Aging anxiety showed a positive association with emotional isolation. A significant sequential mediating effect of self-esteem and aging anxiety was observed in the pathway from perceived age stigma to emotional isolation. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of disrupting the internalization of perceived age stigma among older adults and underscore the protective role of self-esteem in mitigating aging anxiety. Interventions aimed at enhancing self-esteem and alleviating aging anxiety may help reduce emotional isolation in later life.