Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2018 Apr;33(4):591-597. doi: 10.1002/gps.4826. Epub 2017 Dec 3.
The purpose of the current study was to examine the hypothesis that the prospective relationship between hopelessness and depressive symptoms is mediated by self-perceptions of aging.
Data from 3 waves of the US Health and Retirement Study (2008, 2012, and 2014) were used (N = 4606; age M = 65.3, 55.5% female). In mediation analyses, hopelessness in 2008 was the independent variable, self-perceptions of aging in 2012 were the mediator, and depressive symptoms in 2014 were the outcome variable.
After controlling for covariates, hopelessness in 2008 was an independent predictor of self-perceptions of aging in 2012 (β = -.10, P < .001), and self-perceptions of aging in 2012 was an independent predictor of depressive symptoms in 2014 (β = -.41, P < .001). Hopelessness in 2008 showed both direct (β = .09, P < .001) and indirect (β = .03, P < .001) effects on depressive symptoms in 2014, indicating partial mediation by change in self-perceptions of aging.
As hypothesized, change in self-perceptions of aging partially mediated the relationship of hopelessness with depressive symptoms 6 years later. Findings are consistent with a conceptualization of hopelessness as broad negative expectations about the future that may contribute to negative self-perceptions of aging and subsequent changes in depressive symptoms. Reducing hopelessness, increasing hope, and improving self-perceptions of aging have potential to reduce and prevent depressive symptoms for older adults. Future research should examine the mechanisms of these interrelationships and other aging outcomes.
本研究旨在检验一个假设，即无望感与抑郁症状之间的前瞻性关系是通过对衰老的自我认知来调节的。
使用了美国健康与退休研究（2008 年、2012 年和 2014 年）的 3 个波次的数据（N=4606；年龄 M=65.3，55.5%为女性）。在中介分析中，2008 年的无望感为自变量，2012 年的自我衰老认知为中介变量，2014 年的抑郁症状为因变量。
在控制了协变量后，2008 年的无望感是 2012 年自我衰老认知的独立预测因素（β=-.10，P<0.001），2012 年的自我衰老认知是 2014 年抑郁症状的独立预测因素（β=-.41，P<0.001）。2008 年的无望感对 2014 年的抑郁症状表现出直接（β=0.09，P<0.001）和间接（β=0.03，P<0.001）的影响，表明自我衰老认知的变化部分介导了两者之间的关系。
正如假设的那样，自我衰老认知的变化部分中介了 6 年后无望感与抑郁症状之间的关系。研究结果与将无望感概念化为对未来的广泛消极期望的观点一致，这种消极期望可能导致对衰老的消极自我认知，并随后导致抑郁症状的变化。减少无望感、增强希望感和改善自我衰老认知，有可能减轻和预防老年人的抑郁症状。未来的研究应探讨这些相互关系和其他衰老结果的机制。
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