Personal meaning, optimism, and choice: existential predictors of depression in community and institutional elderly

The psychosocial model of mental health posits that late-life depression arises from the loss of self-esteem, loss of meaningful roles, loss of significant others, and diminished social contacts. This study examined the unique, combined, and interactive contribution of existential variables (personal meaning, choice/responsibleness, optimism) and traditional measures (social resources, physical health) as predictors of depression in institutionalized and community-residing older adults, average age 77.8 years. Using multiple hierarchical regression, the results showed that choice/responsibleness, social resources, and physical health predicted depression in community elderly; personal meaning, optimism, social resources, and physical health predicted depression in institutionalized elderly. In both samples, the existential variables accounted for unique variance in depression over and above that accounted for by traditional measures. The important role of existential constructs in transcending personal and social losses and feelings of depression are discussed.