Cumulative Social Advantage Across the Lifespan: Examining the Convergent and Predictive Validity of a Multidimensional Hierarchical Construct for Health and Longevity

This study introduces the concept of cumulative social advantage as a hierarchical construct encompassing multiple aspects of social connection, including religious, psychosocial, familial, and emotional dimensions. Using data from the Midlife Development in the United States–II (n = 4,028) and Refresher (n = 2,586) cohorts, we assessed the dimensionality, replicability, measurement invariance, and validity of a hierarchical model. Results support measurement invariance across demographic groups and demonstrate the model’s convergent and predictive validity. Cumulative social advantage was associated with lower multimorbidity (β = −.17 [−.22, −.13], p < .001), reduced adiposity (β = −.12 [−.16, −.08], p < .001), fewer difficulties with moderate (β = −.18 [−.22, −.14], p < .001) and basic activities of daily living (β = −.20 [−.24, −.16], p < .001), and a decreased hazard rate for all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.67 [0.47, 0.95], p < .001), with a standard deviation increase in cumulative social advantage predicting a 33% reduction in the hazard rate. The ameliorative influence of cumulative social advantage was consistent across sex, race, and education. These findings highlight the complex relationship between social connections and critical health outcomes, emphasizing the importance of considering cumulative social advantage as a potential explanation for understanding individual differences in health across the lifespan.