Evaluation of the Effect of Person-Environment Fit on Life Satisfaction of the Elderly with the Mediation of Sense of Community Dimensions (Case Study: Zafaraniyeh neighborhood of Tabriz)

Introduction: In recent decades, with the rapid aging of urban populations, issues related to the elderly have become an important topic in urban research and management of neighborhoods. On the other hand, this rapid growth has further highlighted the importance of issues related to quality of life in old age (Momtaz, Fallahi & Delbari, 2018:92). Therefore, identifying factors that contribute to the quality of life and well-being of the elderly is essential (Ibrahim, Momtaz & Hamid, 2013). Among these, life satisfaction, as a key indicator of quality of life in the elderly, refers to individuals' cognitive assessment of their living conditions. The satisfaction is not only related to their physical and mental health but is also influenced by their living environment and daily activities. On the other hand, the living environment is perhaps a crucial issue for the elderly because older adults have a more limited sphere of activity compared to other age groups, and their desire to interact with their living and surrounding environment is greater (Phillips, Siu, Yeh & Cheng, 2004). So far, existing studies that have examined the impact of neighborhood and environment characteristics on the well-being of the elderly have primarily focused on either the built environment (Burton, Mitchell & Stride, 2011; Sarkar, Gallacher & Webster, 2013) or the social environment (Cramm, Van Dijk & Nieboer, 2013; Lane et al., 2020). In this context, assessing the relationship between the elderly's interaction with the neighborhood environment and their life satisfaction requires more precise investigation. For this purpose, one of the most important theories that can best complement the present research and evaluate the nature of this interaction is the Person-Environment Fit (P-E fit) theory. 
Methodology: Based on the literature review, the present study has selected the life satisfaction analysis framework of Zhang, Lu, and Wang (2022) as its conceptual research model. In this model, personal-environmental characteristics and activity-travel patterns are considered as independent variables and indicators for measuring person-environment fit. Unlike previous studies that evaluated the social environment as an independent variable in the person-environment fit model, the current study examines sense of community as a mediating variable and, according to Zhang, Lu, and Wang's (2022) model, divides and analyzes it into two separate aspects: social (people-oriented) and spatial (place-oriented). Socio-economic and individual characteristics have also been considered as control variables.This research falls under descriptive-analytical studies. The statistical population of the study includes elderly people over 60 years old residing in the Zafaraniyeh neighborhood of Tabriz, who have mental health and no symptoms of cognitive disorders. Data were collected through a researcher-made questionnaire tool with in-person visits by the researcher to the respondents' residences. The questionnaire consisted of 43 questions with five-point Likert scale items. Only completed questionnaires, which ultimately resulted in 152 valid samples, were included in the analysis. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed through content validity method under the supervision of domain experts, with only minor modifications applied. The reliability of the research instrument was also confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.754. For data analysis, SPSS26 software was used, along with correlation tests and linear multivariate regression to examine relationships and measure direct and indirect effects of the variables.
Results: The conceptual research model was examined using Pearson correlation test to analyze the relationships between variables. The results indicated that in the studied area, there is a strong correlation between P-E fit and seniors' satisfaction with a coefficient of (r=0.755), and between SoC and seniors' satisfaction with a coefficient of (r=0.915), at a significance level of less than 1%. In other words, dimensions of sense of community play a significant and crucial role in determining the life satisfaction of the elderly.Furthermore, the test results indicate a significant relationship between all components of the P-E fit theory and both dimensions of sense of community with satisfaction at a probability level of less than 1%. The strongest correlation was observed between housing status and the place aspect of sense of community with a coefficient of 0.988, while the weakest correlation was between family and relatives contact and mental health with a coefficient of 0.627. In other words, according to the correlation values, SoC plays a significant role in predicting seniors' satisfaction, whereas contact with family and relatives has a weaker relationship with enhancing quality of life.Regarding socio-economic and individual characteristics, the findings revealed that elderly living with their spouses reported higher satisfaction compared to those living alone or with their children. Additionally, length of residence and economic status showed a positive effect on satisfaction. In terms of housing type, older adults living in private villas reported high levels of satisfaction. Conversely, individuals with higher education levels reported lower life satisfaction, indicating an inverse relationship between these two variables. It is noteworthy that no such relationship was observed between other individual factors such as age or gender and satisfaction.
Discussion: To determine the impact of variables on the satisfaction of elderly residents in the Zafaraniyeh neighborhood of Tabriz, a multiple linear regression analysis was used. The test results indicate a high level of satisfaction derived from the research components, where personal characteristics with a coefficient of 0.605, compared to environmental characteristics with a coefficient of 0.291, have a higher degree of importance due to their greater direct impact. Regarding the aspects of SoC affecting satisfaction, the results showed that the place aspect with a coefficient of 0.669 has the greatest impact, while the people aspect with a coefficient of 0.266 has the least impact. Therefore, the place aspect of SoC holds higher importance than the people aspect. This finding confirms the significance of place attachment, trust in the neighborhood, and satisfaction with the built environment, through which the elderly gain greater satisfaction.On the other hand, according to the findings, personal characteristics have a positive effect on both aspects of SoC, while environmental characteristics only affect the spatial dimension of SoC. Additionally, the activity-travel patterns of the elderly have an inverse effect on the people aspect of SoC and a positive effect on its place aspect. Specifically, seniors who prefer to conduct their daily activities in the shared neighborhood space exhibit a higher sense of spatial belonging, which ultimately leads to greater life satisfaction.
Conclusion: Considering the rapid aging phenomenon in urban societies and the role of various dimensions of the living environment and their interrelationships in the satisfaction of elderly, identifying key and mediating factors affecting their satisfaction is crucial. This is because these factors and their governing relationships influence the lived experiences of the elderly and impact their level of life satisfaction. Accordingly, the present study aimed to analyze the relationship and the direct and indirect effects of the P-E fit theory and activity patterns on the life satisfaction of the elderly, mediated by dimensions of SoC, in the Zafaraniyeh neighborhood of Tabriz.Based on correlation values, the findings revealed that, firstly, SoC and, secondly, P-E fit play significant roles in predicting seniors' satisfaction. According to the impact coefficient values, it was inferred that both P-E characteristics influence elderly satisfaction both directly and indirectly through the mediation of SoC. Thus, the mediating role of SoC aspects on satisfaction was confirmed, with the direct effect of personal characteristics and the indirect effect of environmental characteristics being more prominent in terms of importance. On the other hand, activity-travel patterns have a positive indirect effect on seniors' life satisfaction through the place aspect of SoC. In other words, P-E harmony not only directly but also indirectly—through the mediation of SoC and activity patterns—plays a decisive role in predicting the satisfaction. Therefore, it can be claimed that seniors in environments aligned with their individual needs and values, while maintaining social roles and voluntary activities and subsequently enhancing SoC, enjoy higher satisfaction.