TY - JOUR
T1 - Social participation and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults
T2 - Emotional social support as a mediator
AU - Choi, Eunsoo
AU - Han, Kyu Man
AU - Chang, Jisoon
AU - Lee, Youn Jung
AU - Choi, Kwan Woo
AU - Han, Changsu
AU - Ham, Byung Joo
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government ( MSIT ) ( NRF-2019R1C1C1002748 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/5
Y1 - 2021/5
N2 - Previous studies have documented the protective effects of social participation on depression in older adults. In this study, we investigated the association between social participation and depressive symptoms and the associated gender difference in older adults. In addition, we explored the mediating role of emotional social support in the association between social participation and depressive symptoms. We collected data from 4751 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above from the Korean Retirement and Income Study (KReIS) conducted in 2017 and 2018. The relationship between social participation (participation in different types of activities, frequency of participation, and the number of activities participated) and the risk for depressive symptoms was examined. Older adults who participated in social activity, volunteer work, and donation had decreased risk of depressive symptoms. More frequent and more diverse participation in activities further reduced the risk. Overall, women benefited more from social participation than men. Importantly, emotional social support significantly mediated the relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms. Social participation was associated lower odds for depression in older adults, particularly in older women. Our findings provided one of very few pieces of evidence that documents the mediating role of emotional social support in the relationship between social participation and depression among the elderly.
AB - Previous studies have documented the protective effects of social participation on depression in older adults. In this study, we investigated the association between social participation and depressive symptoms and the associated gender difference in older adults. In addition, we explored the mediating role of emotional social support in the association between social participation and depressive symptoms. We collected data from 4751 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and above from the Korean Retirement and Income Study (KReIS) conducted in 2017 and 2018. The relationship between social participation (participation in different types of activities, frequency of participation, and the number of activities participated) and the risk for depressive symptoms was examined. Older adults who participated in social activity, volunteer work, and donation had decreased risk of depressive symptoms. More frequent and more diverse participation in activities further reduced the risk. Overall, women benefited more from social participation than men. Importantly, emotional social support significantly mediated the relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms. Social participation was associated lower odds for depression in older adults, particularly in older women. Our findings provided one of very few pieces of evidence that documents the mediating role of emotional social support in the relationship between social participation and depression among the elderly.
KW - Depression
KW - Emotional social support
KW - Late-life depression
KW - Social participation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85095856487&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.10.043
DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.10.043
M3 - Article
C2 - 33168196
AN - SCOPUS:85095856487
SN - 0022-3956
VL - 137
SP - 589
EP - 596
JO - Journal of Psychiatric Research
JF - Journal of Psychiatric Research
ER -
