Understanding the Social Capital of Aging South Asian Immigrants in Hong Kong

Social capital is a key determinant of well-being in later life, yet its measurement has not been validated among South Asian older adults living in Hong Kong. This study validated a hierarchical, multidimensional model of social capital in this underrepresented, culturally distinct population. A purposive community sample of 215 South Asian adults aged 55 years and older was recruited through community organizations and interviewed face-to-face using a structured questionnaire. The proposed measurement model specified six first-order latent factors—social participation, social support, social connection, social trust, social cohesion, and social reciprocity—loading onto a second-order social capital factor. Because indicators were ordinal, confirmatory factor analysis used Diagonally Weighted Least Squares estimation. Model fit was strong (CFI = 0.999, TLI = 0.999, RMSEA = 0.078, 90% CI = 0.066–0.091, SRMR = 0.085). All standardized factor loadings were statistically significant (p < .001), supporting construct validity. Among the six dimensions, social trust (λ = 0.852) and social connection (λ = 0.811) showed the strongest associations with the higher-order factor. Several theory-consistent residual covariances were specified to improve fit. These findings provide empirical support for a hierarchical, multidimensional conceptualization of social capital among South Asian older adults in Hong Kong and offer a validated framework to inform culturally responsive research and interventions aimed at strengthening social integration and well-being in diverse aging populations.