Disability and Depressive Symptoms in the Elderly: The Effects of Instrumental Support and its Subjective Appraisal

• Published in: International journal of aging & human development Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 145 - 159
• Main Authors: Wallsten, Sharon M., Tweed, Dan L., Blazer, Dan G., George, Linda K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.01.1999; Baywood; Baywood Publishing Co., Inc
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Appraisal; Biological and medical sciences; Buffering; Depression; Disability; Disabled elderly people; Disabled Persons; Female; Health Services for the Aged; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mental depression; Mood disorders; Physical disabilities; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social Support; Subjectivity; Symptoms; Human; Mood disorder; Disability; Symptomatology; Depression; Social network; Elderly; Stress; Social support
• ISSN: 0091-4150; 1541-3535
• DOI: 10.2190/E48R-W561-V7RG-LL8D

This article explores the buffering effect of social support on depressive symptoms in a community sample of elderly with varying levels of disability. Baseline interviews were conducted in respondents' homes. Results show that higher levels of disability are associated with higher levels of depression. Instrumental support and subjective appraisal of the network are associated with depressive symptoms, but instrumental support has a weak positive correlation, while subjective appraisals show a negative relationship. Social support mitigates the depressive effect of disability only when the network's efforts are appraised positively. However, no such relationship is shown for Instrumental support. One's perception of the network's helpfulness appears to be more potent than the actual help provided by friends and family.