Depression And Social Involvement Among Elders

Abstract

The present study has two aims: first, to explore how social involvement changes by age among European elders, and second, to disclose the relationship by age between social involvement and depression among study participants. The study used data from the Ageing and Retirement in Europe database (SHARE; 2004), subjecting a sample of 10207 elders aged 65 or older (Mean age = 73.84, SD = 6.84) to analysis in terms of the study questions. About 45% of the participants (n = 4601) were males and the remainder females (n = 5606). Study results determined that, without notable gender differences, European elders participate less in social activities with increasing age to statistically significant degrees; younger elders tend to be more socially involved and older elders less so. Symptoms of depression also emerged as negatively correlated with social involvement to statistically significant degrees when age was partialled out for both males and females. The study's findings imply that by increasing their social participation, European elders might be able to stave off feelings of depression.