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The Gerontologist Advance Access originally published online on March 18, 2009
The Gerontologist 2009 49(1):1-11; doi:10.1093/geront/gnp006
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Structural Relationships Between Social Activities and Longitudinal Trajectories of Depression Among Older Adults

Song-Iee Hong, PhD1,2, Leslie Hasche, MSW, LCSW2 and Sharon Bowland, MSW, LCSW2

2 George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri

1 Address correspondence to Song-Iee Hong, MA, PhD, Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore, Department of Social Work, Address: Faculty of Arts & Social Science Block AS3, Level 4, 3 Arts Link, Singapore 117570. E-mail: swkhs{at}nus.edu.sg.


  Abstract

Purpose: This study examines the structural relationships between social activities and trajectories of late-life depression. Design and Methods: Latent class analysis was used with a nationally representative sample of older adults (N = 5,294) from the Longitudinal Study on Aging II to classify patterns of social activities. A latent growth curve model captured longitudinal changes in depression and tested the impact of social activities while controlling for residential relocation, health status, insurance, and sociodemographics. Results: We found 3 different patterns of participation across 8 social activities. Specific activities of volunteering and exercise, self-perception of social activity level as "enough," and a higher participation level pattern were associated with lower initial status and longitudinal changes in depression. Implications: Assessing involvement in multiple social activities is important when using social activities to prevent and treat depression. Future work with improved measures can further clarify how specific activities may reduce risk for depression.

Keywords: Activity theory, Mental health, Latent class analysis, Latent growth curve modeling

Received September 11, 2007; Accepted January 9, 2008

Decision Editor: William J. McAuley, PhD


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