Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

Purpose. Despite the importance of coping strategies to guard against the adverse effects of stress in later life, there is little research to link the relationship between social engagement and depression among older adults. Along with medical and functional comorbidities, social support, social activities have all been linked as potential correlates with late life depression. In particular, older adults' connections to social support and activities may be a modifiable factor to help prevent and treat depression. This study empirically tests how social engagement patterns influence the longitudinal trajectories of depression, theorizing that their participation in social activities functions as an active coping strategy for depression. Methods. To capture longitudinal trajectory of depression across three waves, Latent Growth Curve Modeling was used on a nationally representative sample, aged 70 and older (N=5,294), from Longitudinal Study on Aging (LSOAII). We employed Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to identify the structure of social engagement and it was classified by productive, leisure, and social activities (working, volunteering, exercise, getting together, talking on telephone, eating out, going to movies/sports, and attending religious events). Residential relocation, health status, health insurance, and socio-demographics were included as control variables. Results. Per baseline data, the sample was 89% white elders (mean age=76yrs.; 63% female; 55% married; 79% high school graduate). LCA identified the similarities and differences based on individual response patterns of various social activities, beyond the mere presence or absence of activity performance. Except working, seven activities distinguished three homogeneous subgroups and these patterns were hierarchically structured: 17% of the participants were identified as a high social engagement group; 46% were a moderate group; and 7% were a low group. Higher social engagement classes reported better health status (lower medical comorbidity, lower functional limitation and dependency, and better self-rated health), higher income, and higher received education. Furthermore, those in higher class were more likely to be white, younger, and currently married. More intensive social engagement reduced both the initial status and changing rate of depression. With regard to the effects of specific activities on depression, those who talked with family/friends/neighbors, volunteered, and went to movies or sport activities had significantly lower depression levels. Volunteering, movies or sports significantly decreased the growth curve of depression overtime. Implications. The study findings support that social engagement functions as an active coping strategy for older adults. Practical implications include the importance of including social functioning in assessments. Social work assessments should explore the older adults' involvement in a variety of social activities, changes in activity level, and potential barriers to the older adults' participating in activities. Practitioners need offer services that may prevent and assist in treating depression. Policies and services that facilitate participation in social activities for older adults with lower incomes, lower educational status, and poorer health status are needed. Researchers also must work to develop improved measures for assessing which specific activities lower depression within a person-centered framework. However, depression and social engagement measures need to be further specified and validated in future studies to control for potential measurement error.