PsyArXiv
Accelerometer-Measured Activity and Psychological Well-Being in Older Adults: A Multilevel Longitudinal Analysis of NHATS Data
By Jennifer B. Levin and Kyungmi Lee.
Abstract
Objectives
To examine whether objectively measured activity was associated with psychological well-being in older adults and whether social participation and digital connectivity were related to these associations.
Methods
Using three waves of accelerometer and survey data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2022–2024), this analysis applied multilevel models with within-between decomposition to examine three activity indicators (mean activity, relative amplitude, and behavioral fragmentation) and four well-being outcomes (loneliness, positive affect, meaning and purpose, and self-determination) in 543 participants. Between-person structural equation models examined social participation as a statistical correlate, and cross-level interactions tested digital connectivity as a moderator of within-person associations.