客觀認識并積極應對負性生活事件給心理健康帶來的影響對于提高老年人生活質量至關重要。以社會情緒選擇理論為基礎,采用2014年中國老年社會追蹤調查(CLASS)數據,對我國老年人負性生活事件經歷及其對心理健康的影響進行分析,并探討社會網絡和應對方式在其中的調節作用。結果表明,28%的中國老年人在被調查時點的過去一年中至少經歷過一項負性生活事件。負性生活事件與老年人心理健康狀況呈顯著負相關。通過多元回歸分析發現,家庭網絡、朋友網絡及積極應對方式對心理健康有增益作用,消極應對則會削弱老年人的心理健康水平。因此,應綜合發揮老年人內在應對方式與外在網源的作用,尤其是要注重家庭支持,緩和負性事件對老年人心理健康的不良影響。

Negative life events largely affect older adults’ mental health and thus should be understood and addressed carefully to improve the life quality of the elderly. Based on the socioemotional selectivity theory, and using the data of 2014 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey, this paper analyzes the impacts of negative life events on Chinese older adults’ mental health, and explores the moderating effects of social networks and coping styles. The results show that, during the year before the survey, 28% of the Chinese elderly have experienced at least one negative life event. This experience is negatively correlated with the mental health of the elderly. The results from multiple regression analysis suggest that family network, friend network and active coping style have a positive effect on mental health, while negative coping will adversely influence the mental health of older adults. Therefore, both the internal coping style of the elderly and external network resources, especially the family supports, should be promoted to reduce the harmful effects of negative events on older adults’ mental health.