The Role of Psychiatry in Mitigating Cognitive Impairment in Empty Nest Syndrome

Abstract

ENS can be defined as a growing psychiatric problem, which is associated with deep feelings of loneliness, neurobiological disturbance, and cognitive impairment occurring in the period after parenthood during mid-to-late adulthood. The current study explores the psychiatric issues concerning cognitive impairment in ENS patients using a cross-sectional design in quantifying form with the use of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling based on primary survey data obtained from 112 respondents aged 40 years old and older from India. The three constructs explored in this study were R1 (capturing the concepts of loneliness, neurobiological disturbance, and executive dysfunction through items B1-B5), R2 (culturally competent cognitive therapy and gender sensitivity through items C1-C5), and R3 (institutional care, policy framework, and sustainability through items D1-D5). Assessment of the measurement model has shown satisfactory psychometric characteristics of all three constructs with the Cronbach's Alpha of 0.845-0.922, Average Variance Extracted from 0.619 to 0.764, and Composite Reliability from 0.890 to 0.942. Structural model results show that ENS-related loneliness and neurobiological deterioration significantly predict demand for culturally adapted cognitive therapy frameworks, with a path coefficient of 0.655 and an explained variance of 42.9%, which in turn significantly drives the perceived need for policy reform and sustainable care infrastructure, with a path coefficient of 0.750 and an explained variance of 56.2%. An indirect mediation pathway of 0.491 confirms that culturally responsive psychiatric frameworks serve as the bridge between neurobiological distress and institutional policy demand. Post-hoc power analysis proves the appropriateness of the sample size both in terms of 1% and 5% significance level. The results emphasize the need to develop multidisciplinary approaches to the provision of psychiatric services utilizing digital technology, cognitive interventions and a gender approach.