Directional Effects of Social Isolation and Quality of Life on Anxiety Levels Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults During a COVID-19 Lockdown

•What is the primary question addressed by this study? What are some predictive factors of older adults’ anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown?•What is the main finding of this study? Higher social isolation and lower quality of life at baseline significantly predicted more anxiety symptoms at follow-up and the covariates of age, gender and socioeconomic status were not significant in the model. The social isolation and anxiety symptoms relationship was unidirectional while the quality of life and anxiety symptoms relationship was bidirectional.•What is the meaning of the finding? Older adults who were previously socially isolated and had a lower quality of life are particularly vulnerable to the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown and resources and support should be channeled to this at-risk group. The COVID-19 lockdown could see older adults facing increased anxiety levels due to social isolation. Additionally, the lockdown could be more difficult for those with lower Quality of Life (QoL). We aim to understand predictive factors of older adult's anxiety symptoms during the lockdown as it is a main psychological concern of COVID-19. Four hundred eleven participants (Mage = 68.95, S.D. = 5.60) completed questionnaires at two time points — before the pandemic and during the lockdown period. Cross-lagged analysis was carried out on two structural equation models – social isolation and anxiety symptoms, and QoL and anxiety symptoms. Baseline social isolation was associated with more anxiety symptoms at follow-up. However, baseline anxiety symptoms were not associated with social isolation subsequently. For QoL and anxiety symptoms, the relationship was bidirectional. Older adults who were previously socially isolated and had a lower QoL are particularly vulnerable to the negative psychological impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown.