A Scoping Review of Psychological Sense of Community among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 19; no. 14; p. 8395
• Main Author: Buckley, Thomas D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 09-07-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Adults; Aging; Community research; Gerontology; Health; Influence; Older people; Relocation; Review; Reviews; Theories of aging; Theory; Well being
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148395

Psychological sense of community (PSOC) is an important construct for health and well-being outcomes for community-dwelling older adults. Drawing on the Ecological Theory of Aging and the Age-Friendly Cities (AFC) framework, this scoping review explored how PSOC has been used in research with community-dwelling older adults. This study examined antecedents, correlates, and outcomes of PSOC, with a focus on relevance to theory and practice. Databases were searched between 1986 and 2021 for peer-reviewed journal articles. Searches identified 582 unique articles, and 28 were included in the final sample. Three primary themes emerged in the synthesis: relevance to the AFC framework, PSOC as a predictor of health and well-being outcomes, and the role of PSOC in relocation. Findings from this review show that PSOC serves as a mechanism that links the social and physical AFC environments with health and well-being outcomes. This review also presents mechanisms for how features of the environment relate to PSOC. These findings demonstrate the role of PSOC as a resource to improve person–environment fit. Results from this review can be used to guide future research and inform theory, policy, and practice.