The relationship between age and depressive symptoms: a test of competing explanatory and suppression influences.

OBJECTIVE

The objective is to examine competing explanatory and suppression influences on a negative, linear association between age and depressive symptoms.

METHODS

Two samples were used: a community sample of physically disabled individuals and a comparison sample matched on age, sex, and area of residence.

RESULTS

Fewer economic hardships and fewer experiences of negative interpersonal exchanges among older disabled and nondisabled respondents account for the negative relationship between age and depressive symptoms. Higher scores on a composite measure of religiosity among older disabled adults also account for part of the negative age effect. Conversely, a lower sense of mastery among older respondents in both samples suppresses the size of the negative age slope.

DISCUSSION

Findings are discussed in terms of stress process and socioemotional selectivity theories, which predict that personal and social arrangements influence the experience of emotions differentially across the life course.