The Mediating Effect of Self-Transcendence on the Correlation Between Frailty and Life Satisfaction in the Elderly.
Weitao Xia, Yingying Shi, Lemin Fang, Zhenzheng Sun, Yuchao Le, Xiaolei Wang
Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society March 25, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/07334648261437464 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional investigation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,192 |
| Population | Adults aged 60 years and older from fifteen villages and fifteen communities in Zhejiang Province |
| Keywords | Frailty Life satisfaction Mediating effect Older adults Self-transcendence |
| Key findings | Self-transcendence partially mediated the association between frailty and life satisfaction, accounting for 37.4% of the total effect. |
Abstract
Frailty is associated with physical and psychological decline. However, many frail older adults have reported high life satisfaction, suggesting the possibility of potential psychological buffering mechanisms. This study aimed to explore whether self-transcendence mediates the relationship between frailty and life satisfaction. A cross-sectional investigation using stratified random sampling was conducted among 1,192 adults aged ≥60 years from fifteen villages and fifteen communities in Zhejiang Province. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, correlation, and mediation analysis. Results indicated that the prevalence of frailty was 29.4%. Frailty was significantly negatively associated with life satisfaction, whereas self-transcendence was positively associated with life satisfaction. Self-transcendence partially mediated the association between frailty and life satisfaction, accounting for 37.4% of the total effect. These findings confirmed the mediating role of self-transcendence between frailty and life satisfaction, providing lower-cost intervention studies with important targeting factors.