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Personal networks undergo changes in structure and composition throughout the life span, adapting to developmental transitions and changing circumstances in a dynamic way. This study examines stability and change in social convoys from childhood to adulthood and variation in trajectories of convoy characteristics by gender and race. Multilevel models for convoy structure and composition characteristics were estimated using three waves of longitudinal data spanning 23 years. The regionally representative sample included 193 children aged 8 to 12 in Wave 1 (1992) who were surveyed again in their 20s (Wave 2) and 30s (Wave 3). The Wave 1 sample comprised 52% girls, 32% Black children, and 59% White children with average maternal educational attainment of 13 years. Overall, changes in composition, proximity, and contact frequency were observed at each wave. Between Waves 1 and 2, the changes reflect age-normative trends toward network diversification typical of the transition to adulthood, whereas between Waves 2 and 3, the changes were consistent with those expected as young adults settle into stable roles. We also identified convoy characteristics that differed between men and women and between Black and White individuals, emphasizing the importance of considering personal characteristics to fully understand form and function of social relations. Social convoy trajectories early in the life span provide direction for more in-depth examinations of the implications of social ties during these critical life periods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Objectives Daily stress and cardiovascular reactivity may be important mechanisms linking cumulative life event stress with cardiovascular health and may help to explain racial health disparities. However, studies have yet to examine links between exposure to life event stress, daily stress exposure, and cardiovascular reactivity. This study assessed links between trajectories of life event stress exposure, daily stressors, and cardiovascular reactivity among Black and White individuals. Methods Participants are from the Stress and Well-being in Everyday Life Study in which 238 individuals (109 Black 129 White; ages 33–93), drawn from the longitudinal Social Relations Study, reported life event stress in 1992, 2005, 2015, and 2018. Of those individuals, 169 completed an ecological momentary assessment study in which they reported stress exposure every 3 hr, and 164 wore a heart rate monitor for up to 5 days. Results Latent class growth curve models revealed 2 longitudinal trajectories of life event stress: moderate-increasing and low-decreasing. Individuals in the moderate-increasing stress trajectory reported greater daily stress exposure and links did not vary by race. Black individuals in the low-decreasing trajectory and White individuals in the moderate-increasing trajectory showed positive associations between daily stress and heart rate (i.e., were reactive to daily stress exposure). The link between daily stress and heart rate was not significant among Black individuals in the moderate-increasing trajectory and White individuals in the low-decreasing trajectory. Discussion Individuals who experience more life events across the adult life course report greater daily stress exposure which has important implications for daily cardiovascular health. Black individuals with moderate-increasing life event stress show evidence of blunted daily stress reactivity (nonsignificant association between daily stress and heart rate) whereas Black individuals with low-decreasing life event stress show evidence of stress reactivity (positive association between daily stress and heart rate). White individuals showed the opposite pattern (albeit marginally). These findings expand the weathering hypothesis and indicate that chronic life event stress may be associated with blunted stress reactivity among Black individuals.

This study examines cognitive abilities, number of people in a social network, and presence of depressive symptoms among the “youngest old”, “middle old”, and “oldest old”, by ethnicity. A sample of 600 people; 200 Blacks, 200 Whites, and 200 non-white Arabs were recruited for the survey. Those with missing data were omitted from analysis, which left 435. Data were collected via a computer assisted telephone survey. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVAs. We found significant effects on cognition by ethnicity f(2,430)=2.71, p

We hypothesized productive activities, e.g., working and volunteering, would reduce dementia risk and mitigate racial disparities using longitudinal Health, Aging, and Body Composition data (n=3,069). We ran gender-stratified logistic regression models for dementia with socio-demographic and APOE adjustments. Among older men, no significant relationships existed between dementia with work, volunteering, or race in any models. Among older women, in unadjusted models, working vs. not (Yr1) was significantly related to 30% lower odds of dementia (OR=0.70, p≤0.05), and volunteering vs. not (Yr1) was significantly related to 24% lower odds of dementia (OR=0.76, p≤0.05). But, these activities were not significant in other models. Black vs. White women had 35% (OR=1.35, p≤0.05) and 32% (OR=1.32, p=0.052) higher odds of dementia in working and volunteering models with socio-demographic adjustments, respectively, but race was not significant after APOE adjustment. Productive activities are possible contextual interventions to reduce racial disparities in incident dementia among older women.

Based on the convoy model of social relations, the current study used Latent Growth Curve Modeling to examine the associations between overall network, closest, close and weak social tie trajectories across the lifespan and self-esteem later in life. Participants (N = 553) aged 13 to 77 in Wave 1 (1992) were surveyed again in 2005 (Wave 2) and 2015 (Wave 3). The overall network size increased significantly across the lifespan (β = 0.56, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001). The closet tie size trajectories were not significantly associated with self-esteem 23 years later. The growth of the close tie size was not significantly associated with self-esteem later. Weak-tie size growth was also significantly associated with higher self-esteem later (β = 0.14, SE = 0.00, p < 0.05). The findings highlight social network’s effects on self-esteem across the lifespan, as well as the critical role weak social ties play in development.

Many existing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) caregiving interventions focus narrowly on thechallenges and needs of a primary caregiver rather than the family systems in which they areembedded. We advance a family systems framework by invoking convoys of caregiving to adaptan existing AD caregiver intervention to Middle Eastern/Arab American families in metroDetroit (N=56). The composition of caregiving networks is described, followed by assessment ofcare burden, depressive symptoms, care satisfaction and family conflict. Results show thatsiblings and children are the predominate support network members who accompanied theprimary caregiver to the program. Paired t-tests show that care burden and family conflictdecreased while caregiving satisfaction increased following program participation. Depressivesymptoms did not change. Findings illuminate how convoys of care may serve as valuablesupport resources, yet may also be the source of stress and conflict.

Negative relationships (i.e., irritating, demanding) predict poor well-being and daily processes may account for these links. This study examined longitudinal trajectories of negative ties and their links with daily social interactions and well-being. A total of 169 individuals ages 33 to 91 reported negative relationship quality (spouse/child/friend) in 1992, 2005, 2015, and 2018 and completed 4-5 days of surveys every three hours regarding positive and negative social interactions and negative affect. Latent class growth models revealed two trajectories of negative relationships (moderate-stable and low-decreasing). Individuals in the moderate-stable trajectory reported more frequent daily interpersonal tensions but no link with positive interactions. The link between negative relationship trajectories and daily negative affect was moderated by daily positive interactions such that the association was reduced when individuals had positive interactions. Thus, negative ties may increase exposure but not reactivity to daily tensions and daily positive interactions buffer the negative tie-well-being link.

This symposium embraces diversity and discovery to address contextual issues in aging, specifically issues of race and ethnicity in the study of cognitive health and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD). Rooks and colleagues compare dementia risk among African American and White men and women in the context of work using the longitudinal Health, Aging, and Body Composition data. They consider the effects of productive activities on dementia risk in gender stratified models, adjusting for socio-demographic and genetic factors. Siddiq and colleagues consider the contexts of migration. Using a multi-method approach, they establish priorities for interventions addressing ADRD risk among older adult immigrants and refugees from Afghanistan and the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) in California. Sayed also investigates the context of migration, and uses qualitative data (N=31) to identify the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on cognitive aging in Middle Eastern/Arab Americans immigrants and refugees in Michigan. Finally, Meier and colleagues consider contexts of metal exposure for cognitive decline among Latinos aged 65 and older using the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging. In total, this symposium highlights the benefits of reimagining contextual factors that influence ADRD to improve our understanding and the potential to reduce health disparities research in underrepresented racial and ethnic populations.

This study examines stability and change in social convoys from childhood to adulthood and variation in trajectories of convoy characteristics by gender and race. Multilevel models for convoy structure and composition were estimated using longitudinal data spanning 23 years. Respondents included a sample of 193 children aged 8 to 12 in Wave 1 (1992) who were surveyed again in their 20s (Wave 2) and 30s (Wave 3). Changes in composition, proximity, and contact frequency were observed at each wave. Between Waves 1 and 2, changes reflected age-normative trends toward network diversification typical of the transition to adulthood. Between Waves 2 and 3, changes were consistent with those expected as young adults settle into stable roles. We also identified convoy characteristics that differed between men and women and between Black and White individuals, emphasizing the importance of personal characteristics to fully understand form and function of social relations across the lifespan.

Climate change places older people at physical and psychological risk. Even small changes in temperature (+/- 1 degree) results in increased morbidity and mortality. Further, the burden of climate change is not borne equally. The stress and mental ill health associated with disasters are especially borne by women, older adults, persons of color, low-income populations, those with preexisting conditions, poor support networks, and those residing in sub-standard housing. Older people are disproportionately represented in these groups, but interventions can ameliorate these risks. At the same time, older people, with the wisdom of experience, can be important assets for families and communities struggling with the effects of climate change. Both addressing the vulnerabilities and enhancing the strengths of older people can serve to meet the immediate needs and the long-term SDGs goals of (3) health and well-being (5) gender equality (10) reduced inequalities (11) sustainable cities and communities (13) climate action.

Recent immigrant and undocumented Hispanic/Latino adults in the United States (U.S.) are an underserved segment of the aging population. In this cross-sectional pilot study, we examined associations between self-reported stressors metabolic syndrome, emotional reactivity, and cognitive functioning in a heterogenous sample (N=80) of Hispanic/Latino adults (43.8% Central America; 43.8% South America; 7.5% Caribbean; mean years in the U.S.=18.1, SD=12.8). Participants (Meducation=10.2 years, SD=5.34; Mage=48.6 years, SD=12.3) underwent blood draw, anthropometrics and NIH-toolbox cognitive and behavioral measures. Linear regressions indicated that, elevated glucose was inversely associated with working memory (r=-.30), whereas higher HDL and controlled glucose were associated with better episodic memory (r=.27) and executive functioning (r=.32). Results further revealed associations between immigration-related trauma and elevated posttraumatic stress symptomatology. Implications for mental health and early detection of modifiable risk factors to promote healthy aging in vulnerable Hispanic/Latino immigrant populations are discussed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed social life across the globe and had a particularly profound impact on older people. In this BSS Presidential Symposium, we address the annual meeting’s theme—Disruption to Transformation: Aging in the “New Normal”—by inviting noted experts to address implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for social engagement and isolation. The speakers address this theme from sociological, psychological, demographic, and public health perspectives with attention to racial disparities and the impact of the pandemic on patterns of isolation and loneliness in the population, methods for conducting research with older populations, patterns of bereavement and loss of family ties, and caregiver mental health. The panel will shed light on these issues through individual presentations and dialogue.