Structural Relationships Between Social Activities and Longitudinal Trajectories of Depression Among Older Adults
Open Access
- 1 February 2009
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in The Gerontologist
- Vol. 49 (1), 1-11
- https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnp006
Abstract
Purpose: This study examines the structural relationships between social activities and trajectories of late-life depression. Design and Methods: Latent class analysis was used with a nationally representative sample of older adults (N = 5,294) from the Longitudinal Study on Aging II to classify patterns of social activities. A latent growth curve model captured longitudinal changes in depression and tested the impact of social activities while controlling for residential relocation, health status, insurance, and sociodemographics. Results: We found 3 different patterns of participation across 8 social activities. Specific activities of volunteering and exercise, self-perception of social activity level as “enough,” and a higher participation level pattern were associated with lower initial status and longitudinal changes in depression. Implications: Assessing involvement in multiple social activities is important when using social activities to prevent and treat depression. Future work with improved measures can further clarify how specific activities may reduce risk for depression.Keywords
This publication has 40 references indexed in Scilit:
- Behavioral activation treatments of depression: A meta-analysisClinical Psychology Review, 2007
- Activity as a predictor of mental well-being among older adultsAging & Mental Health, 2006
- Social Engagement and Depressive Symptoms in Late LifeJournal of Aging and Health, 2006
- Evidence-Based Review of Risk Factors for Geriatric Depression and Brief Preventive InterventionsPsychiatric Clinics of North America, 2005
- Are Older People Dying of Depression? Findings from the Medical Research Council Trial of the Assessment and Management of Older People in the CommunityJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2005
- Major depression in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults: prevalence and 2- and 4-year follow-up symptomsPsychological Medicine, 2004
- Religiousness and depression: Evidence for a main effect and the moderating influence of stressful life events.Psychological Bulletin, 2003
- The Performance of ML, GLS, and WLS Estimation in Structural Equation Modeling Under Conditions of Misspecification and NonnormalityStructural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2000
- Social and Psychosocial Factors Predicting Depression in Old Age: A Longitudinal StudyInternational Psychogeriatrics, 1996
- The relation of parent alcoholism to adolescent substance use: A longitudinal follow-up study.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 1996