Impact of Nostalgia on Psychological Well-Being with Moderating Role of Age among Adults

This study aims to explore the impact of nostalgia on psychological well-being while considering age as a moderator. A correlational survey research design was used. Through a purposive sampling technique, data from 123 participants was collected from PhD students of different private sector universities and older adults residing in old homes in Multan, Punjab. The Nostalgia Inventory (Batcho, 1995) and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (Tennant et al., 2007) were used for data collection. T-test results along gender revealed no significant difference between male and female on nostalgia and psychological well-being. The result of a correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between nostalgia and PWB. Results of linear regression analysis revealed nostalgia as a significant predictor of PWB among adults. Moderation was assessed through Hayes's process macro model 1. The results revealed a significant interaction between nostalgia and age in predicting PWB, suggesting that the effect of nostalgia on PWB increases with age. Further, the nature of moderation was examined through conditional effects, indicating the strongest effect among the older age group. These findings confirmed the relationship between nostalgia and well-being strengthens with age, supporting the moderating role of age.