Presentation Schedule
Understanding the Social Capital of Aging South Asian Immigrants in Hong Kong (102376)
Session Chair: Marta Podhorecka
Thursday, 26 March 2026 15:35
Session: Session 4
Room: Room 707 (7F)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Social capital is a key determinant of well-being in later life, yet its measurement has not been validated among South Asian older adults living in Hong Kong. This study validated a hierarchical, multidimensional model of social capital in this underrepresented, culturally distinct population. A purposive community sample of 215 South Asian adults aged 55 years and older was recruited through community organizations and interviewed face-to-face using a structured questionnaire. The proposed measurement model specified six first-order latent factors—social participation, social support, social connection, social trust, social cohesion, and social reciprocity—loading onto a second-order social capital factor. Because indicators were ordinal, confirmatory factor analysis used Diagonally Weighted Least Squares estimation. Model fit was strong (CFI = 0.999, TLI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.078, 90% CI = 0.066–0.091, SRMR = 0.085). All standardized factor loadings were statistically significant (p < .001), supporting construct validity. Among the six dimensions, social trust (λ = 0.852) and social connection (λ = 0.811) showed the strongest associations with the higher-order factor. Several theory-consistent residual covariances were specified to improve fit. These findings provide empirical support for a hierarchical, multidimensional conceptualization of social capital among South Asian older adults in Hong Kong and offer a validated framework to inform culturally responsive research and interventions aimed at strengthening social integration and well-being in diverse aging populations.
Authors:
Daniel W.L. Lai, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
Codiez Z.D. Huang, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
Alison Y.T. Ou, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
About the Presenter(s)
Daniel W.L. Lai is Chair Professor and Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences in Hong Kong Baptist University.
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