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Family type and cognitive function in older Chinese Americans: acculturation as a moderator.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Li, M; Lu, S-E; Hoover, DR; Flynn, L; Silverstein, M; Wu, B; Dong, X
Published in: Aging & mental health
August 2022

Acculturation to the mainstream culture and the settlement contexts could shape cognitive function of older immigrants. Guided by ecological theory, this study examines the interaction effect between individual acculturation and ecology of family on cognitive function among older Chinese Americans.Data were derived from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (n = 3,019). Family types included tight-knit (high solidarity and low conflicts), unobligated-ambivalent (high solidarity and conflicts), commanding-conflicted (low solidarity and high conflicts), and detached (low solidarity and low conflicts). Acculturation was measured via language ability, media use, and ethnic social relations. Cognitive function was evaluated by global cognition, episodic memory, working memory, processing speed, and mini-mental state examination. Multiple regression analyses and interaction terms were used.Older adults in the commanding-conflicted type had the lowest cognitive function. After controlling confounding variables, higher levels of acculturation (b = 0.009, SE = 0.003, p < .01) were associated with higher levels of global cognition. Acculturation buffered the negative impact of having a commanding-conflicted relationship with children on global cognition (b = 0.070, SE = 0.016, p < .001). Language ability, media use, and ethnic social relations played a unique role in the relationships between family types and cognitive domains.Acculturation to the dominant culture is identified as a cultural asset for cognitive function in older Chinese Americans. Social services could protect cognitive function of older immigrants in the commanding-conflicted type through enhancing cultural participation. Future research could test how affective and cognitive aspects of acculturation affect health.

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Published In

Aging & mental health

DOI

EISSN

1364-6915

ISSN

1360-7863

Publication Date

August 2022

Volume

26

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1642 / 1653

Related Subject Headings

  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Emigrants and Immigrants
  • Cognition
  • Asian People
  • Asian
  • Aged
  • Acculturation
  • 52 Psychology
  • 44 Human society
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Li, M., Lu, S.-E., Hoover, D. R., Flynn, L., Silverstein, M., Wu, B., & Dong, X. (2022). Family type and cognitive function in older Chinese Americans: acculturation as a moderator. Aging & Mental Health, 26(8), 1642–1653. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1926426
Li, Mengting, Shou-En Lu, Donald R. Hoover, Linda Flynn, Merril Silverstein, Bei Wu, and XinQi Dong. “Family type and cognitive function in older Chinese Americans: acculturation as a moderator.Aging & Mental Health 26, no. 8 (August 2022): 1642–53. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1926426.
Li M, Lu S-E, Hoover DR, Flynn L, Silverstein M, Wu B, et al. Family type and cognitive function in older Chinese Americans: acculturation as a moderator. Aging & mental health. 2022 Aug;26(8):1642–53.
Li, Mengting, et al. “Family type and cognitive function in older Chinese Americans: acculturation as a moderator.Aging & Mental Health, vol. 26, no. 8, Aug. 2022, pp. 1642–53. Epmc, doi:10.1080/13607863.2021.1926426.
Li M, Lu S-E, Hoover DR, Flynn L, Silverstein M, Wu B, Dong X. Family type and cognitive function in older Chinese Americans: acculturation as a moderator. Aging & mental health. 2022 Aug;26(8):1642–1653.

Published In

Aging & mental health

DOI

EISSN

1364-6915

ISSN

1360-7863

Publication Date

August 2022

Volume

26

Issue

8

Start / End Page

1642 / 1653

Related Subject Headings

  • Humans
  • Geriatrics
  • Emigrants and Immigrants
  • Cognition
  • Asian People
  • Asian
  • Aged
  • Acculturation
  • 52 Psychology
  • 44 Human society