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Social Support and Symptoms of Depression in Late Life: Bidirectional Associations over Time
Shira T Turner1, Sara Carmel2, Norm O'Rourke3,2,1
1Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva 84105, Israel.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|December 11, 2022
Summary
In older adults, depressive symptoms and social support influence each other over time. Higher depression predicts less social support, while more social support can predict fewer depressive symptoms later in life.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
Background:
- Social support is a known buffer against depression, particularly in older adults with restricted social networks.
- Understanding the dynamic relationship between social support and depression in advanced age is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal, bidirectional associations between social support and depressive symptoms in adults aged 75 and older.
- To examine how depressive symptoms and social support predict each other over a two-year period.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 824 Israeli adults aged 75+.
- Data collected via structured home interviews at three annual time points.
- A cross-lagged, longitudinal structural equation model (SEM) was employed to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Both depressive symptoms and social support demonstrated considerable stability in late life.
- Baseline depressive symptoms predicted lower social support at subsequent time points.
- Baseline social support predicted lower depressive symptoms two years later, indicating a bidirectional relationship.
Conclusions:
- The relationship between depressive symptoms and social support is bidirectional among older adults.
- Interventions aimed at enhancing social support may help mitigate depression in later life.
- Further cross-cultural research over extended periods is warranted to confirm these findings.
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