When minds and networks matter: how mental health and social capital shape social frailty in older adults

Abstract

Background Social frailty represents a critical dimension of aging, yet its specific associations with mental health and social capital remain underexplored, particularly in non-Western contexts. This study investigated the influence of psychological distress and social capital on social frailty among older adults in Egypt. Methods In a cross-sectional study conducted at a university hospital outpatient clinic, 316 adults aged ≥60 years were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), the Personal Social Capital Scale-16 (PSCS-16), and the Social Frailty Scale (SFS-8). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression. Results Participants demonstrated moderate to high levels of social frailty (Mean = 5.55 ± 1.44). A significant positive correlation was found between psychological distress and social frailty ( β = 0.333, p < 0.001), while a significant negative correlation was observed between social capital and social frailty ( r = −0.349, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that both higher psychological distress ( β = 0.369, p < 0.001) and lower social capital ( β = −0.327, p < 0.001) were significant independent predictors of social frailty, after controlling for key sociodemographic and health-related covariates. The final model explained 13.5% of the variance in social frailty scores ( F = 24.510, p < 0.001). Conclusion Psychological distress and low social capital are significant, independent contributors to social frailty in Egyptian older adults. These findings advocate for integrated geriatric care interventions that concurrently address mental well-being and strengthen social networks to effectively prevent and mitigate the adverse outcomes associated with social frailty.