Life Projects as a Protective Shield Against Loneliness: Moderating Effects on Flourishing Across Ages During the Pandemic in China
Summary
This cross-sectional study examined how life projects (LP) moderate the negative relationship between loneliness (LS) and flourishing (FS) across two age groups (18–30 vs. 31–65 years) during China’s COVID-19 pandemic. Using validated measures with 187 participants, regression analysis revealed a significant three-way interaction (LS × LP × Age: β = 0.28, p = 0.029), indicating age-dependent moderation. Simple slopes analysis showed divergent patterns: for younger adults (18–30), higher LP strengthened LS’s negative effect on FS (β = −0.16 at low LP vs. β = −0.39 at high LP), whereas for older adults (31–65), higher LP attenuated this effect (β = −0.65 at low LP vs. β = −0.32 at high LP). These findings suggest LP functions as a buffer against loneliness for older adults but exacerbates its harm for younger adults.