Effects of Loneliness and Social Support on Ego Integration among Community-Dwelling Older Adults Living Alone

South Korea is experiencing a rapid increase in its older population, and older adults living alone have been reported to exhibit poorer health status and lower quality of life compared to their counterparts living with others. This study aimed to identify the levels and relationships of loneliness, social support, and ego-integrity among community-dwelling older adults living alone, and to examine the effects of these variables on ego-integrity. The study participants were 142 older adults living alone in S city, Gyeonggi Province, Korea. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from August 5 to September 6, 2024. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. Loneliness was negatively correlated with social support and ego integrity, while social support was positively correlated with ego integrity. Multiple regression analysis revealed that social support and subjective health status significantly influenced ego integrity among older adults living alone. This study empirically demonstrates that social support and subjective health status have significant effects on ego integrity in community-dwelling older adults living alone. These findings underscore the importance of strengthening social support systems and promoting health management to facilitate self-integration, a crucial developmental task in later life.