The role of meaning in life in community-dwelling older adults with depression and relationship to other risk factors
Objectives: The aims of this study were to examine the association of Meaning in Life (MiL) with sociodemographic and physical factors, and its association with depression in older people.Method: A cross-sectional survey with a sample of N = 2104 older adults from communities of four European countr...
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2019
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| In: |
Aging & mental health
Year: 2017, Volume: 23, Issue: 1, Pages: 100-106 |
| ISSN: | 1364-6915 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13607863.2017.1396576 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2017.1396576 Verlag, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2017.1396576 
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| Author Notes: | Jana Volkert, Martin Härter, Maria Christina Dehoust, Berta Ausín, Alessandra Canuto, Chiara Da Ronch, Anna Suling, Luigi Grassi, Manuel Munoz, Ana Belén Santos-Olmo, Susanne Sehner, Kerstin Weber, Karl Wegscheider, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen, Holger Schulz, Sylke Andreas |
| Summary: | Objectives: The aims of this study were to examine the association of Meaning in Life (MiL) with sociodemographic and physical factors, and its association with depression in older people.Method: A cross-sectional survey with a sample of N = 2104 older adults from communities of four European countries was conducted, using an age-appropriate interview for the diagnosis of depression and the Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMiLE) questionnaire to assess MiL.Results: Overall, MiL was particularly low in old male participants, in older people from Ferrara (Italy), those with a lower religious affiliation, fewer social contacts, and poorer physical health. Furthermore, younger old age (65-69 compared to 80-84 year olds), female gender, being married, living in Geneva and poorer physical health were significantly associated with a higher risk for depression. In addition, lower MiL significantly increased the likelihood to suffer from depression in older people. An interaction effect of study center and MiL also emerged: with decreasing MiL the risk for depression significantly increases in Hamburg compared to the other study centers.Conclusion: This study underlines the association of MiL and depression in old age. Integration of meaning-specific aspects in treatment for older adults with depression may be promising. |
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| Item Description: | Published online: 08 Nov 2017 Gesehen am 07.08.2018 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1364-6915 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/13607863.2017.1396576 |