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Examining the Longitudinal Bi-Directional Associations of Friend Engagement, Social Functioning, and Depression
Austen R Anderson1, Mallory Lastrapes1
1School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA.
Psychological Reports
|March 27, 2024
Summary
Social functioning and friend engagement are linked to depression in older adults. Improvements in social factors may reduce depressive symptoms, highlighting the importance of social connections for mental health.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
Background:
- Social functioning and friend engagement are known predictors of depression.
- Bidirectional relationships between social factors and depression require nuanced longitudinal analysis.
- Traditional cross-lagged panel models (CLPM) have limitations in capturing these complex dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine bidirectional associations between friend engagement, social functioning, and depressive symptoms.
- To apply advanced statistical modeling (RI-CLPM) for a more comprehensive analysis.
- To investigate gender-specific patterns in these relationships.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from three waves of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (N = 5890).
- Employed Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPM) to analyze within-person and between-person effects.
- Controlled for average levels of social functioning and friend engagement.
Main Results:
- Higher average social functioning correlated positively with friend engagement and negatively with depression.
- Within-person fluctuations in social functioning and friend engagement were associated with lower same-wave depressive symptoms.
- Depression was predicted by prior fluctuations in social functioning, with gender-specific variations observed.
Conclusions:
- Social factors and depression exhibit significant associations both within and across extended time periods.
- These findings underscore the importance of social engagement for predicting and potentially mitigating depression in older adults.
- Future research should explore friendship interaction characteristics and diverse populations.
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