Table 1 Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Study focus

• Studies examining factors that are associated with or influence older adults’ emotional support

• Studies only describing emotional support and/or assessing whether the emotional support needs are met but not assessing the association of any factors influencing older adults’ emotional support

Dependent variable

Emotional support, defined as a sole construct (expression of positive affect, empathetic understanding, and the encouragement of expressions of feelings) or in combination with informational support (offering of advice, information, guidance or feedback)

• Studies only assessing instrumental/tangible, positive social interaction, or affection social support without explicitly examining emotional support

Independent variables

• Socio-demographic and health characteristics of older adults (e.g., age, sex, marital status, race/ethnicity, chronic conditions)

• Relationship factors (e.g., social network, early childhood experiences)

• Community factors (e.g., availability of community programs and events)

• Society related factors (e.g., ageism)

Study design

• Primary empirical quantitative studies regardless of the research design (e.g., randomized controlled trials, non-randomized trials with or without a control group, cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, time series or regression discontinuity designs)

• Qualitative studies (e.g., qualitative interviews, focus groups, ethnographic observations, qualitative case studies)

• Mixed-methods studies

• Research protocols, case reports, editorials, opinion papers, comments, newspaper articles, historical articles, lecture notes, presentations, personal narratives

Setting

• Older adult’s private home, apartment, rented home

• Studies focusing on nursing homes (residential long-term care), daycare/centers, rehabilitation centers, assisted living settings, hospitals

Population

• Studies that only include older adults age ≥ 65

•Studies that include older adults (≥ 65) and younger adults as long as results are reported separately for older adults

• Studies including no participants aged ≥ 65 years

• Studies including older adults but not reporting results specific to this sub-group