Abstract: Object To explore the mediating effect of expectations regarding aging (ERA) on family function and loneliness among older people in community, and to analyze the moderating effect of self-efficacy on the direct and indirect path of the mediation model, so as to explore the relationship among the four factors and the mechanism, and to provide theoretical support and empirical basis for preventing and reducing the occurrence of loneliness in older people in communities. Methods Convenience sampling was used to select 380 older people in communities in Luzhou, Sichuan Province and they were surveyed with general information questionnaire, the Family APGAR Index(APGAR), the 6-item Shortform Scale of University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale(ULS-6),the 12-item Expectations Regarding Aging (ERA-12) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). PROCESS 3.3 software was used to test the mediating and moderating effect. Results The total score of family function, loneliness, ERA, and self-efficacy of older people in communities was 8.0(6.0,9.0), 10.0(7.0,14.0), 44.4(36.1,55.6), and 23.0(18.0,29.0), respectively. Family function had a significant negative predictive effect on loneliness（β=-0.851,P<0.001）.Family function was positively correlated with self-efficacy and ERA（r_s=0.400~0.511,P<0.01 for all）, while negatively with loneliness （r_s=-0.436,P<0.01）. ERA was negatively correlated with loneliness（r_s=-0.489,P<0.01）. Family function played a significantly predictive role in loneliness and ERA has a partial mediating effect between family function and loneliness（β=4.325,P<0.001）, accounting for 39.92% of the total. Self-efficacy has a moderating effect on the first half path of ERA（β=0.156,P<0.001). The influence of family function on ERA decreased with the increase of self-efficacy. Conclusion In this group, family function and self-efficacy of older people in the communities are relatively good; ERA is in the lower-middle level, and loneliness in a low level. Family function of older people in communities could affect loneliness through the mediating effect of ERA. Self-efficacy moderates the relationship between family function and ERA, and a moderated mediation model is established.

Key words: older people, family function, loneliness, expectations regarding aging, self-efficacy