How perceived restorative environments shape meaning in life: psychological mechanisms among urban and rural active older adults

Objectives: Grounded in environmental restorativeness theory, this study investigates the association between perceived restorative environments and meaning in life among active older adults. It further examines the mediating roles of psychological resilience, perceived stress, and place attachment, with particular attention to urban-rural differences in the context of population aging. Methods: A questionnaire survey collected 511 valid responses of "Active Older Adults" (aged 60-80) from some urban and rural areas of China. We employed Amos 26.0 to construct structural equation models for path analysis and mediation effect testing, and utilized SPSS 26.0 combined with the Bootstrap method to assess indirect effects. Multi-group analyses were performed to compare the structural relationships between urban and rural subsamples. Results: < 0.001). Additionally, three indirect pathways were identified: an independent mediating effect of psychological resilience, accounting for 35.37% of the total effect; an independent mediating effect of place attachment, accounting for 25.73%; and a chained mediating effect through psychological resilience and perceived stress, accounting for 8.46%. Multi-group analyses revealed notable urban-rural differences: among urban older adults, psychological resilience played a more prominent mediating role, whereas among rural older adults, place attachment emerged as the primary pathway linking restorative environments to meaning in life. Conclusions: These findings underscore the critical role of restorative environments in enhancing meaning in life and psychological wellbeing during later adulthood. Optimizing community environments represents an effective public health strategy for promoting active aging. Age-friendly development should prioritize restorative environmental design and integrate mental health promotion, employing context-sensitive approaches tailored to the distinct needs of urban and rural older populations.