UCLA

This dissertation applied two theoretical perspectives, the Fundamental Cause Theory and the notion of Misclassification Bias, to comprehensively understand psychosocial functioning and explore its sociodemographic and physical health correlates among Indian adults. The theory-driven research questions were evaluated using the data from the World Health Organization’s Study of Global Adult Ageing and Health (SAGE). The data were collected between 2007 and 2010.

The first study entitled, ‘The Evaluation of the Multidimensional Indicators of Psychosocial Functioning and Its Sociodemographic Correlates among Indian Adults: WHO SAGE Study (2007-2010)’, described the relationship between the seven distinct indicators of the multidimensional psychosocial functioning, including sleep, cognition, affect, quality of life, depression, interpersonal relationships, and social connectedness. The relationship between these indicators and sociodemographic characteristics among adult Indian adults were also examined. Results showed that the reported levels of psychosocial functioning vary as a function of gender. Similarly, the results also established significant relationships between sociodemographic characteristics and psychosocial functioning separately among men and women.

The second study entitled, ‘A Latent Class Analysis Approach to Evaluate the Multidimensional Nature of Psychosocial Functioning and Its Sociodemographic Correlates in the Indian Context: WHO SAGE Study (2007-2010)’, used a latent class analysis approach to identify different classes of psychosocial functioning among men and women. Four latent classes of psychosocial functioning were identified for women, and three latent classes of psychosocial functioning were identified for men. The study also demonstrated that the membership of the latent classes varied across sociodemographic characteristics.

The third study entitled, ‘An Examination of the Relationship between Psychosocial Functioning and Physical Health among Indian Men and Women: A Latent Class Analysis’ showed that psychosocial functioning latent classes were predictors of the diagnosis of chronic diseases and multi-morbidity of chronic diseases among Indian men and women, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

In conclusion, this dissertation study underscores the relationship between psychosocial functioning and chronic disease diagnosis and also highlights the role of sociodemographic characteristics in patterning levels of psychosocial functioning among major subgroups within Indian populations. Public health research, policy, intervention, and clinical implications of the dissertation are discussed.