Employment and frailty among older adults: The mediating role of emotional support and the moderating role of physical activity

Jiahan Li¹, You Zhou², Lei Yuan^2,*, Jie Yang^3,*
1 Department of Sociology, School of Philosophy and Sociology, Jilin University, Changchun, China
2 Department of Physical Education, School of Physical Education, Jilin University, Changchun, China
3 School of Public Physical, Changchun Humanities and Sciences College, Changchun, China
* Corresponding Author: Lei Yuan. Email: email ; Jie Yang. Email: email

Journal of Psychology in Africa https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2026.079263

Received 18 January 2026; Accepted 11 May 2026; Published online 15 July 2026

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Abstract

Background: Frailty is a common geriatric condition. Employment, as an important social activity for older adults, may be closely related to their frailty status. However, the association between employment and frailty among older adults remains understudied. Methods: Data were derived from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) dataset, involving 6161 older adults (age: M = 69.378, SD = 6.875; 49.619% female). PROCESS analysis was used to test the association between employment and frailty, as well as the mediating role of emotional support and the moderating role of physical activity. Results: First, employment was significantly associated with lower frailty levels among older adults. Second, emotional support mediated the association between employment and frailty. Third, physical activity moderated the relationship between emotional support and frailty, as higher physical activity strengthened their negative association. Conclusion: These findings align with activity theory, which posits that successful aging depends on maintaining a high level of activity engagement. These findings have notable practical implications for addressing frailty among older adults and promoting the progress of productive aging.