Frontiers in Public Health · Published 2026-08-04 · DOI 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1911696
Xiaoyan Sheng, Wenying Wang
ObjectiveTo investigate the current status of physical resilience (PR) and social alienation among older adults with ischemic stroke, construct a joint network model, identify core nodes and bridge nodes, and provide evidence for precise intervention.MethodsA convenience sampling method was used to recruit 210 older adults with ischemic stroke from Nantong Sixth People’s Hospital and Nanjing Gaochun People’s Hospital between January 2025 and April 2026. Participants were surveyed using a general information questionnaire, the Physical Resilience Scale for Older Adults (PRSOA), and the General Alienation Scale (GAS). Dimension scores from the two scales were treated as nodes, and a joint network was constructed using the EBICglasso algorithm. Node centrality, bridge strength, and expected influence (EI) were analyzed.ResultsThe total PR score was 55.6 ± 12.3, and the total social alienation score was 38.2 ± 9.6. Network analysis revealed that meaninglessness (MU) (strength = 0.79), coping and lifestyle adjustment (CL) (strength = 0.72), and belief and hope (BH) (strength = 0.85) were the core nodes. Meaninglessness (bridge strength = 1.42), CL (bridge strength = 0.95), and self-alienation (SA) (bridge strength = 1.18) were the key bridge nodes. Expected influence analysis indicated that reducing MU (EI = -1.83), enhancing BH (EI = 1.45), and strengthening CL (EI = 1.21) produced the strongest network cascade effects. The network structure showed good stability (CS = 0.78).ConclusionComplex network associations exist between PR and social alienation in older adults with ischemic stroke. Meaninglessness, CL, and BH are core intervention targets. Clinical practice should prioritize addressing patients’ sense of meaninglessness, strengthening coping skills training, and fostering rehabilitative beliefs.
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Sheng, X., Wang, W. (2026). A network analysis of physical resilience and social alienation among older adults with ischemic stroke. Frontiers in Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1911696