Table 4  Summary of the mediation model analyses using 5000 bootstraps (N = 201).
Covariates  Independent Variable  Mediating Variable  Dependent Variable  Covariates→DV  IV→M  MV→DV  Direct EffectIV→DV  Indirect Effect  Total Effect  Adj R2
(IV)  (MeV)  (DV)   (path a)  (path b)  (path C’)  (a × b)  95%CI  (C)  R2
Age group  Loneliness feelings  Depressive symptoms  Subjective age during COVID-19 pandemic  ns  0.16 **  0.27  0.27 *  0.04  −0.003–0.14  0.35 **  0.15 ***
Gender  ns
Marital status  ns
Education  Malnutrition  ns  0.50 *  0.08*  0.04  0.002–0.13
Notes: Value labels of categorical variables: IV = Independent variable; M = mediator; Adj R2 = Adjusted R2; DV = Dependent variable; Age group (1 = 65–74, 2 = 75 and older); gender (1 = male, 2 = female); marital status (1 = has partner, 2 = no partner); ns = not significant. * p < 0.05. ** p < 0.01. *** p < 0.001.