The role of meaning in life in community-dwelling older adults with depression and relationship to other risk factors

• Verfasst von: Volkert, Jana [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: The role of meaning in life in community-dwelling older adults with depression and relationship to other risk factors
• Verf.angabe: 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
• Jahr: 2019
• Jahr des Originals: 2017
• Umfang: 7 S.
• Fussnoten: Published online: 08 Nov 2017 ; Gesehen am 07.08.2018
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Aging & mental health
• Ort Quelle: London [u.a.] : Taylor & Francis Group, 1997
• Jahr Quelle: 2019
• Band/Heft Quelle: 23(2019), 1, Seite 100-106
• ISSN Quelle: 1364-6915
• DOI: doi:10.1080/13607863.2017.1396576
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Sach-SW: age-appropriate diagnostic assessment
• Sach-SW: Depression
• Sach-SW: elderly
• Sach-SW: meaning
• K10plus-PPN: 1578341957

Abstract

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.