Protective Pychosocial Factors in Depression Among Spousally Bereaved Elders

Three psychosocial factors were examined for their ability to reduce depressive symptomatology among a sample of 79 spousally bereaved elders. Baseline assessments of social supports, stability of social rhythms, and mastery events were used in linear and logistic regression analyses to examine their association with: 1) baseline depressive symptomatology, and 2) the likelihood of being or becoming syndromally depressed, or 3) dysthymic from approximately 2 until 13 months after the loss of a spouse. Results indicated that mastery events, global social support, and "appraised" or "belonging" support, in particular, significantly reduced the severity or likelihood of depression but appeared to have no significant effect upon dysthymia.