School of Social Work, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Department of Gerontology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Stress Health. 2023 Dec;39(5):1037-1046. doi: 10.1002/smi.3237. Epub 2023 Mar 10.
Late-life depression is a prevalent mental health problem among older adults. Variations may exist in the intensity of chronic stressors experienced by people in different older age groups and their effects on depressive symptoms. To examine differences among older adults by age group in the experienced intensity of chronic stressors in relation to coping strategies and depressive symptoms. Participants were 114 older adults. The sample was divided into three age groups: 65-72, 73-81, and 82-91. The participants completed questionnaires on coping strategies, depressive symptoms, and chronic stressors. Moderation analyses were conducted. The lowest levels of depressive symptoms were in the young-old age group and the highest levels were in the oldest-old age group. The young-old age group used more engaged and less disengaged coping strategies than the two other groups. The association between intensity of chronic stressors and depressive symptoms was stronger in the two older age groups compared to the youngest (moderating effect of age groups). Differences exist in the relationships among chronic stressors, coping strategies, and depressive symptoms by age groups in the older adult population. Professionals should be aware of the possible differences between age groups in depressive symptoms and the impact of stressors on depressive symptoms in different older adult age groups.
老年期抑郁症是老年人中普遍存在的心理健康问题。不同老年人群体经历的慢性压力源的强度及其对抑郁症状的影响可能存在差异。本研究旨在探讨与应对策略和抑郁症状相关的慢性压力源经历强度在老年人群体中因年龄组而异的情况。参与者为 114 名老年人。该样本分为三个年龄组：65-72 岁、73-81 岁和 82-91 岁。参与者完成了关于应对策略、抑郁症状和慢性压力源的问卷。进行了调节分析。在年轻老年人年龄组中，抑郁症状的水平最低，而在最年长的老年人年龄组中，抑郁症状的水平最高。与其他两个年龄组相比，年轻老年人年龄组使用的参与性应对策略更多，非参与性应对策略更少。与最年轻的年龄组相比，慢性压力源强度与抑郁症状之间的关联在两个较年长的年龄组中更强（年龄组的调节作用）。在老年人群体中，慢性压力源、应对策略和抑郁症状之间的关系因年龄组而异。专业人员应该意识到不同年龄组之间抑郁症状的可能差异，以及不同老年人群体中压力源对抑郁症状的影响。
