The Relationship between Age and Depressive Symptoms
- 1 May 2002
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Aging and Health
- Vol. 14 (2), 260-285
- https://doi.org/10.1177/089826430201400205
Abstract
Objective: The objective is to examine competing explanatory and suppression influences on a negative, linear association between age and depressive symptoms. Methods:Two samples were used: a community sample of physically disabled individuals and a comparison sample matched on age, sex, and area of residence. Results:Fewer economic hardships and fewer experiences of negative interpersonal exchanges among older disabled and nondisabled respondents account for the negative relationship between age and depressive symptoms. Higher scores on a composite measure of religiosity among older disabled adults also account for part of the negative age effect. Conversely, a lower sense of mastery among older respondents in both samples suppresses the size of the negative age slope. Discussion:Findings are discussed in terms of stress process and socioemotional selectivity theories, which predict that personal and social arrangements influence the experience of emotions differentially across the life course.Keywords
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