Table 1.

Participant characteristics (N = 306) and results from the t-tests (t) and Mann-Whitney tests (U)

Variables	N (%)	SD	PI	LSsw	Physical Health M (sd), t-test	Mental Health M (sd), t-test	Depression M (sd), t-test
Age
65–74	148 (48.4)	–	–	–	–	–	–
75–84	108 (35.3)
85 or over	50 (16.3)
Sex
Male	132 (43.1)	−0.06 (.41)	−0.05 (.59)	16.37 (6.63)	2.98 (.95)	3.17 (.91)	12.18 (4.28)
Female	174 (56.9)	0.08 (.43) t (304) = −2.78**	0.05 (.54) t (304) = −1.76	15.48 (5.99) t (288) = 1.19	2.51 (.92) t(303) = 4.44***	2.60 (.86) t(303) = 5.61***	14.83 (4.43) t(297) = − 5.19***
Marital Status
Married or living common law	188 (61.5)	0.22 (.46)	−0.08 (.49)	13.87 (6.4)	2.63 (1.02)	3.03 (.92)	12.41 (3.69)
Widowed, separated or divorced, single (never married)	118 (38.5)	−0.10 (.35) t (202.74) = 6.60***	0.16 (.65) t(198.707) = 3.52**	17.09 (5.87) t (288) = −4.38***	2.76 (.92) t (303) = −1.13	2.56 (.87) t(303) = − 4.36***	15.77 (5.06) t(184.283) = 6.14***
Background Origin
Italian	299 (97.7)	-up	–	–	–	–	–
Other Origin	7 (2.3)
Educational Attainment
Low (No diploma or elementary or Middle school)	161 (52.6)	0.20 (.59)	0.05 (.62)	14.71 (6.09)	2.71 (1)	2.81 (.97)	1.85 (.65)
High (High school or University)	145 (47.4)	−0.11 (.53) t(304) = 4.84***	−0.05 (.49) t (304) = 1.67	17.27 (6.23) t (288) = −3.53**	2.71 (.89) t (303) = −.029	2.90 (.86) t (303) = −.81	1.75 (.52) t (303.9) = 1.46
Religion Affiliation
Cshristian	263 (85.9)	–	–	–	–	–	–
Atheist or agnostic	20 (6.5)
Refused to answer	23 (7.7)
Religious Engagement
No	247 (91.2)	0.003	−0.24	16	3	3	1.62
Yes	24 (8.8)	−0.04 U = 5352.5	−0.14 U = 6255.5	16 U = 5040	3 U = 4518	3 U = 4243.5	1.68 U = 5952

SD Social Disconnectedness, PI Perceived Isolation, LS Lubben Scale

* p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001