Loneliness, Sense of Control, and Risk of Dementia in Healthy Older Adults: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Objectives Despite the rising prevalence of dementia, little research has been conducted to identify modifiable psychological factors that alleviate the risk of dementia in older adults and the underlying mechanisms. Given that loneliness is, in part, concomitant with a weakened sense of control, we examined whether sense of control would mediate the relation between loneliness and dementia risk. Further, considering that working -memory capacity is a critical cognitive resource that serves as a buffer against age-related cognitive decline, we examined a second-order moderated mediational model whereby working-memory capacity moderates the relation between control beliefs and dementia risk in older adults. Methods We administered a series of measures to older community-dwelling adults (ages 60-93;N= 69), including the participant-rated AD8 to assess the risk of dementia. Using the PROCESS macro, we examined the moderated mediation model for the relation between loneliness, sense of control, and dementia risk. Results We found that sense of control significantly mediated the relation between loneliness and risk of dementia. Moreover, the indirect effect of loneliness on dementia risk via lowered sense of control was significant only in individuals with poorer working-memory capacity. Notably, these findings held true when important covariates were controlled for. Conclusions Our findings underscore the critical role of control beliefs and working memory in protecting against dementia risk. Clinical implications Our findings have implications for intervention programs that target alleviating dementia risk and promoting healthy aging in older adults by improving socioemotional health and cognitive functioning.