scholarly journals Transition to Widowhood: Trajectories of Depressive Symptomatology Among Japanese Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 284-285
Author(s):  
Masumi Iida ◽  
Shohei Okamoto ◽  
Ikuko Sugawara ◽  
Erika Kobayashi

Abstract Spousal loss is one of the most consequential negative life events for the surviving partners. While there is abundant research on mental health and well-being of widows, most of these studies rely on the post-bereavement data. In this study, we use the data from the National Survey of Japanese Elderly (NSJE), which is a publicly available longitudinal data set collected from Japanese adults aged 60 years and older. The current study uses the first seven waves of data from 1987 to 2006, where participants were followed every three to four years. Using the NSJE advances our understanding of the bereavement process as it allows us to observe the levels and trajectories of depressive symptom before, during, and after the loss of their spouses. In our analyses, we selected 522 participants (average age at bereavement: 75.0 years; 27% male) who experienced spousal loss at some point during the seven waves. We examined the trajectories of depressive symptoms assessed using CES-D as these participants transition to widowhood. The results showed a small significant increase in depressive symptoms leading up to the time of the loss. There was also a significant increase in symptoms at the time of the loss, but we did not observe any decline in symptoms after the loss. In addition, we found that their age at bereavement significantly moderated the pattern, such that the increase in depressive symptoms at the time of the loss was attenuated for older participants. The implications of these findings will be discussed.

Author(s):  
Yuval Paldi ◽  
Daniel S. Moran ◽  
Orna Baron-Epel ◽  
Shiran Bord ◽  
Riki Tesler

The Israeli Mamanet Cachibol League (MCL) serves as a community model that incorporates physical activity and amateur team sports among women. Team sports have been shown to bridge gaps and build positive relationships between communities. There is a paucity of data regarding the advantages of team sports to promote the health and well-being of women from different ethnic backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of participation in MCL with social capital, health, and well-being across two ethnic groups: Jewish and Arab women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among women aged 25–64: 102 Jewish and 96 Arab MCL participants, and 102 Jewish and 81 Arab non-MCL participants. Data regarding social capital (trust, social support and social involvement) and well-being (self-reported health and psychosomatic and depressive symptoms) were analyzed using two-way analyses of covariance and multiple regression models with sequential entry of the variables. MCL participants from both ethnic groups reported higher social capital (p < 0.001), better self-reported health (p < 0.001), and lower psychosomatic symptoms (p < 0.001) compared to non-participants. Jewish MCL participants reported lower depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) than non-participants, however no difference was found between Arab MCL participants and non-participants (p < 0.160). Amateur team sports such as MCL are related with higher levels of well-being and social capital. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies that examine the change in social capital and well-being over time.


2021 ◽  
pp. 074171362110275
Author(s):  
Stephanie J. Babb ◽  
Katrina A. Rufino ◽  
Ruth M. Johnson

The current study sought to measure how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the mental health and well-being of college students, particularly nontraditional students. Participants ( n = 321) completed a series of surveys assessing their level of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, insomnia, and well-being. Participants also indicated their nontraditional student characteristics, level of resilience, and additional life stressors due to the pandemic. Statistical analyses found that participants reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and insomnia, with corresponding lower levels of well-being across all students, compared with prepandemic levels. Results showed that while nontraditional students indicated an increased number of life stressors during the pandemic compared with their traditional peers, nontraditional students also demonstrated higher levels of resilience. Nontraditional students appear to be more successful at managing stressful life events due to the increased resilience that comes with age and experience, which can better prepare them to persevere and overcome challenges.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 536-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart Duriez ◽  
Theo A. Klimstra ◽  
Koen Luyckx ◽  
Wim Beyers ◽  
Bart Soenens

Because the authoritarian personality was introduced to explain the rise of fascism during World War II, research focused on its ability to predict prejudice, leaving its associations with well–being largely unexplored. Studies that did examine these associations yielded inconsistent results, and some authors even argued that authoritarianism buffers against the negative effects of psychological vulnerability factors (i.e. D–type personality) and negative life events on well–being, especially among people in an authoritarian environment. Using a cross–sectional community sample (N = 1010), Study 1 failed to support the idea that authoritarianism relates to depressive symptoms and buffers against the negative effects of D–type personality on depressive symptoms. Using a longitudinal college student sample (N = 499), Study 2 showed that authoritarianism did not moderate the effects of life events either and even predicted over–time increases in depressive symptoms. Using a longitudinal high school sample (N = 590), Study 3 showed that this effect emerged regardless of degree of fit with the social environment (i.e. with family and friends). Taken together, results suggest that authoritarianism constitutes a risk factor for rather than a protective factor against depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W. Carlson ◽  
Assaf Oshri

Researchers found that sexual abuse in childhood leads to increased adolescent depressive symptomatology, though this link may vary due to the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator as well as the age of the child when the abuse began. A sample of 444 sexually abused youth provided data for the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being I. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms and test the effects of parental perpetration and age of abuse onset. Results supported the following three growth trajectories of depressive symptoms in adolescence: falling, rising, and flat. Youth who were sexually abused by a parent were more likely to follow the rising and falling trajectories. Also, youth who experienced sexual abuse at a younger age were more likely to be classified in the falling trajectory. Findings can inform intervention programming on the links between sexual abuse characteristics and subsequent patterns of adolescent depressive symptomology.


SLEEP ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A414-A415
Author(s):  
J Blanc ◽  
N Williams ◽  
G Jean-Louis ◽  
S Lemon ◽  
M Rosal

Abstract Introduction This study examined the relationships between sleep quality and depressive symptoms, and whether this relationship is moderated by frequency of water intake in a sample of Latino adults. Methods Participants in this community-based study were 574 Latino adults from Lawrence, Massachusetts. Assessments included surveys and anthropological measures. Variables in this study included sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index- PSQI), depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale -CES-D) and frequency of water intake in the previous three months (investigator-developed question). Covariates included demographics, stress (Perceived Stress Scale-PSS), and body mass index (BMI). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to explore associations between sleep and depressive symptoms. Potential moderating effect of frequency of water intake was assessed using hierarchical, moderated, multiple regression analysis. Results The sample was 51.2% female, with a mean age of 46.6 years (SD=15.4) and mean BMI of 29.6 (SD=5.9); 31% of the sample had CES-D scores &gt; 22 (cut off for elevated depressive symptoms), the mean PSQI score was 13.11(SD=3.4) and 92% reported water intake two or more times daily. Sleep quality correlated positively with depression (r=.558; p=.000). After adjusting for covariates, sleep quality was strongly associated with depression (B = .417; SE=13; p =.000). The relationship between sleep quality and depressive symptoms was moderated by frequency of water intake (B= -.186, SE =1.107; p= 0.11). Conclusion This study is among the first to examine the association between sleep quality and depressive symptoms among Latino adults, and to show that frequency of water intake may moderate this association in this population. Support This study was supported by funding from the NIH: R01 MH085653; 1U48DP006381; and T32HL129953.


Psichologija ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 59-73
Author(s):  
O. Zamalijeva ◽  
R. Jusienė

Vidutiniškai penktadalis moterų po gimdymo patiria įvairių psichologinių ir emocinių sunkumų, o tai savo ruožtu neigiamai veikia pačios moters savijautą, vaiko raidą bei santykius su vaiku ir šeima. Iki šiol nebuvo prieita prie vienodos nuomonės, kokie rizikos veiksniai reikšmingai nulemia moters depresiškumą laikotarpiu po gimdymo. Tyrėjų išvadose apie demografinių veiksnių, socialinės paramos, gimdymo ypatumų, patiriamo streso, emocinės ir fizinės būsenos bei kitų kintamųjų sąsajas su moters depresiškumu laikotarpiu po gimdymo yra prieštaravimų. Šio tyrimo tikslas – išsiaiškinti, kokie demografiniai, socialiniai, psichologiniai ir sveikatos veiksniai reikšmingai prognozuotų moters depresiškumą laikotarpiu po gimdymo. Tyrimas yra prospektyvus ir ilgalaikis – tiriamosios apklaustos nėštumo metu, pirmą mėnesį ir pusė metų po gimdymo. Tyrime analizuojami 66 savanoriškai sutikusių dalyvauti visuose trijuose tyrimo etapuose moterų duomenys. Tyrimo rezultatai, apskaičiuoti taikant struktūrinių lygčių modeliavimo metodą, leidžia teigti, kad vienintelis moters depresiškumą laikotarpiu po gimdymo prognozuojantis veiksnys, turintis tiesioginę reikšmę, yra moters depresiškumo vertinimas nėštumo metu. Taip pat daugiau depresijos simptomų laikotarpiu po gimdymo turi moterys, kurios prasčiau vertina savo pasiruošimą motinystei, jaučia stipresnį nerimą dėl gimdymo, mažiau patenkintos savo santykių su vyru kokybe, patyrė daugiau stresą keliančių gyvenimo įvykių ar laukiasi pirmo vaiko, tačiau prognostinis šių veiksnių ir moters depresiškumo laikotarpiu po gimdymo ryšys yra netiesioginis, o pasireiškia šių veiksnių įtaka depresiškumui nėštumo metu.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: depresiškumas po gimdymo, Edinburgo pogimdyminės depresijos skalė (EPDS), pasiruošimas motinystei.Predictors of women’s depression during postpartumperiod Zamalijeva O., Jusienė R. SummaryApproximately 20 percent of women suffer from postpartum depression after childbirth, which, in turn, negatively affects women’s well-being, child’s development and interactions with the child and family. Risk factors, which most significantly influence postpartum depression, have been analyzed by numerous researchers, seeking to make it possible to predict and identify women at risk before the onset of symptoms. Nevertheless, the data obtained is inconclusive and research results are contradictory. The most inconclusive results are those related to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and their impact on depressive symptoms during postpartum period. Moreover, there are inconsistencies in conclusions concerning social support, pregnancy and delivery-related factors, stressful life events, emotional and physical health and their influence on postpartum depression. The goal of this research is to identify demographic, social, psychological and health related variables that could reliably predict women’s depression half year after delivery. This research is prospective and longitudinal, participants were interviewed at several assessment points – during pregnancy, the first month and half a year postpartum. The complete data about 66 women are analyzed in this article. The results of structural equation modeling (SEM), indicate that the only significant predictor of women’s depressive symptoms during postpartum period, having direct effect, is depression during pregnancy, i.e. women who report more depressive symptoms during pregnancy are significantly more likely to be depressed during postpartum period. Women who rated their subjective readiness for motherhood as lower, also with high anxiety concerning delivery, poor quality of relationship with a partner, and who reported more stressful life events, as well as primiparous women are at greater risk postpartum depression; however these variables and depressive symptoms during postpartum period are not directly related. The readiness for motherhood and anxiety concerning delivery predicts depression during pregnancy. The quality of relationships with partner, in turn, predicts both readiness for motherhood and anxiety concerning delivery. Finally, the readiness for motherhood could also be predicted by stressful life events and primiparity. The results of our study support the necessity of psychological interventions during the pregnancy in order to prevent postpartum depression.Keywords: perinatal depression, EPDS, readiness for motherhood.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussain-Abdulah Arjmand ◽  
Elizabeth Seabrook ◽  
David Bakker ◽  
Nikki Rickard

High quality monitoring of mental health and well-being over an extended period is essential to understand how communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and how to best tailor interventions. Multiple community threats may also have cumulative impact on mental health, so examination across several contexts is important. The objective of this study is to report on changes in mental health and well-being in response to the Australian bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic. This study utilized an Experience-Sampling-Method (ESM), using the smartphone-based mood monitoring application, MoodPrism. Participants were prompted once a day to complete a brief survey inquiring about symptoms of depression and anxiety, and several well-being indices, including arousal, emotional valence, self-esteem, motivation, social connectedness, meaning and purpose, and control. Participants were N = 755 Australians (aged 13 years and above) who downloaded and used MoodPrism, between 2018 and 2020. Results showed that anxiety symptoms significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not during the bushfires. This may be explained by concurrent feelings of social connectedness maintained during the bushfires but not during the pandemic. In contrast, depressive symptoms increased significantly during the bushfires, which maintained during the pandemic. Most indices of well-being decreased significantly during the bushfires, and further again during the pandemic. Study findings highlight the unique responses to the bushfire and COVID-19 crises, revealing specific areas of resilience and vulnerability. Such information can help inform the development of public health interventions or individual clinical treatment, to improve treatment approaches and preparedness for potential future community disasters.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 255-255
Author(s):  
Nathan Lewis ◽  
Patrick Hill

Abstract Individuals higher in depressive symptoms commonly present with neuropsychological deficits including poorer memory performance. Sense of purpose in life, a component of psychological well-being, has been shown to promote resilience to cognitive impairment in older adulthood, but it is unclear whether it may also protect against cognitive deficits associated with higher depressive symptoms. This study examined whether purpose in life moderated the effect of depressive symptoms on cognitive functioning in a large longitudinal study of 4599 American older adults (Mage = 74.33 years, range = 65–104 years, 56.84% female) across a 12-year follow-up period. Depressive symptomatology was assessed at each wave using the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Multilevel models assessed the influence of depressive symptoms and the interaction with sense of purpose in life on changes in word recall and mental status. Higher depressive symptoms were associated with poorer recall at baseline, but not rate of change over time. A negative interaction was observed between sense of purpose in life and depressive symptoms such that individuals higher in purpose experienced a less negative impact of depressive symptoms on word recall. No significant interaction of sense of purpose and depressive symptoms was observed on mental status. Having a sense of purpose in life may help protect older adults from memory deficits associated with higher depressive symptoms. The present findings underscore the potential for sense of purpose to promote cognitive reserve in older adulthood, allowing individuals to maintain cognitive performance in the face of accruing neuropsychological challenges.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Marie-Louise Kullberg ◽  
Charlotte van Schie ◽  
Eleonore van Sprang ◽  
Dominique Maciejewski ◽  
Catharina A. Hartman ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Childhood abuse and neglect often occurs within families and can have a large influence on mental well-being across the lifespan. However, the sibling concordance of emotional abuse and neglect (i.e. together referred to as emotional maltreatment; EM), physical abuse (PA) and sexual abuse (SA) and the long-term impact on the context of siblings' maltreatment experiences are unclear. To examine the influence of EM, PA and SA on adult depressive symptoms within the family framework we differentiate between (a) the family-wide (mean level of all siblings) effects and (b) the individual deviation from the mean family level of maltreatment. Methods The sample (N = 636) consists of 256 families, including at least one lifetime depressed or anxious individual and their siblings. Multilevel modeling was used to examine the family-wide and relative individual effects of childhood maltreatment (CM). Results (a) Siblings showed most similarity in their reports of EM followed by PA. SA was mostly reported by one person within a family. In line with these observations, the mean family levels of EM and PA, but not SA, were associated with more depressive symptoms. In addition, (b) depression levels were more elevated in individuals reporting more EM than the family mean. Conclusions Particularly in the case of more visible forms of CM, siblings' experiences of EM and PA are associated with the elevated levels of adult depressive symptoms. Findings implicate that in addition to individual maltreatment experiences, the context of siblings' experiences is another crucial risk factor for an individuals' adult depressive symptomatology.


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