Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Mental Health in Late Adulthood: What Can Preserve It?

  • Published:
Applied Research in Quality of Life Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current research investigates the part played by several socio-demographic factors, lifestyle and cognitive efficiency in predicting self-rated depressive signs in late adulthood. One hundred and ninety-one healthy adults were recruited in Northern Italy and Sardinia—an Italian island located in the Mediterranean sea known for the longevity of its elderly people—from urban and rural areas. Participants were assigned to old (60–74 years) and very old (75–99 years) groups, and were administered cognitive efficiency and self-referent depression measures. Gender and region of residence were the best predictors of self-rated depression scores. Furthermore, Sardinian participants, especially those from rural areas, showed better preserved mental health than respondents from Northern Italy. Positive aging is more evident in Sardinia, especially in rural areas, where the maintenance of an adequate social status and physical activity help guarantee a positive level of mental health in later life.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baltes, P. B., & Staudinger, U. M. (2000). Wisdom: a metaheuristic (pragmatic) to orchestrate mind and virtue toward excellence. American Psychologist, 55, 122–136. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beekman, A. T., Copeland, J. R., & Prince, M. J. (1999). Review of community prevalence of depression in later life. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 174, 307–311. doi:10.1192/bjp.174.4.307.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brilman, E. I., & Ormel, J. (2000). Life events, difficulties and onset of depressive episodes in later life. Psychological Medicine, 31, 859–869. doi:10.1017/S0033291701004019.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpaniello, B., Carta, M. G., & Rudas, N. (1989). Depression among elderly. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 5, 445–450. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1989.tb03004.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caselli, G., & Lipsi, R. M. (2006). Survival differences among the oldest old in Sardinia: who, what, where, and why? Demographic Research, 14, 267–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cervilla, J. A., & Prince, M. J. (1997). Cognitive impairment and social distress as different pathways to depression in the elderly. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12, 995–1000. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-1166(199710)12:10<995::AID-GPS673>3.0.CO;2-O. ISSN: 0885–6230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chodzko-Zajko, W. J., Proctor, D. N., Fiatarone Singh, M. A., Minson, C. T., Nigg, C. R., Salem, G. J., et al. (2009). Exercise and physical activity for older adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 41(7), 1510–1530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Djernes, J. K. (2006). Prevalence and predictors of depression inpopulations of elderly: a review. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 113, 372–387. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.2006.00770.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eller, C. (2011). The myth of a matriarchal prehistory. Boston: Beacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fastame, M. C. (2014). Exploring the effect of depressive symptoms and ageing on metamemory in an Italian adult sample. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 19(2), 127–135. doi:10.1080/13548506.2013.802360.

  • Fastame, M. C., & Penna, M. P. (2012). Does social desirability confound the assessment of self-reported measures of wellness and metacognitive efficiency in young and older adults? Clinical Gerontologist, 35(3), 239–256. doi:10.1080/07317115.2012.660411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fastame, M. C., Penna, M. P., Leone, B., & Puddu, C. (2011). The role of social desirability in the assessment of mnestic and metacognitive efficiencies in adulthood: a preliminary study. European Psychiatry, 26(Suppl. 1), 1175. doi:10.1016/S0924-9338(11)72880-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fastame, M. C., Penna, M. P., Rossetti, E. S., & Agus, M. (2014). The effect of age and socio-cultural factors on self-rated well-being and metacognitive and mnestic efficiency among healthy elderly people. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 9, 325–334. doi:10.1007/s11482-013-9238-6.

  • Fava, G. A. (1983). Assessing depressive symptoms across cultures: Italian validation of the CES-D self-rating scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 39, 249–251. doi:10.1002/1097-4679(198303)39:2<249:AID-JCLP2270390218>3.0.CO;2-Y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). Mini-mental state. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12, 189–198. doi:10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ganguli, M., Mulsant, B., Richards, S., Stoehr, G., & Mendelsohn, A. (1997). Antidepressant use over time in a rural older adult population: the MoVIES Project. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 45, 1501–1503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, S., Yinlong, J., Unverzagt, F. W., Liang, C., Hall, K. S., Ma, F., et al. (2009). Correlates of depressive symptoms in rural elderly Chinese. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(12), 1358–1366. doi:10.1002/gps.2271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gostynski, M., Ajdacic-Gross, V., Gutzwiller, F., Michel, J. P., & Herrman, F. (2002). Depression bei Betagten in der Schweitz. Nervenartz, 73, 851–860.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hybels, C. F., Blazer, D. G., & Pieper, C. F. (2001). Toward a threshold for subthreshold depression: an analysis of correlates of depression by severity of symptoms using data from an elderly community sample. Gerontologist, 41, 357–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, K. A., Leary, M. R., & Rejeski, W. J. (2000). Self-presentational concerns in older adults: implications for health and well-being. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, special issue. The Social Psychology of Aging, 22(3), 169–79. doi:10.1207/S15324834BASP2203_5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minicuci, N., Maggi, S., Pavan, S., Enzi, G., & Crepaldi, G. (2002). Prevalence rate and correlates of depressive symptoms in older individuals: the Veneto study. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Science, 57A(3), M155–M161. doi:10.1093/gerona/57.3.M155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orsini, A., & Laicardi, C. (1997). WAIS-R. Contributo alla taratura italiana [Contribution to the Italian calibration]. Florence: O.S. Organizzazioni Speciali.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostergaard, S. D., & Foldager, L. (2011). The association between physical illness and major depressive episode in general practice. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 123(4), 290–296. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.2010.01668.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pàlsson, S. P., Östling, S., & Skoog, I. (2001). The incidence of first-onset depression in a population followed from the age of 70 to 85. Psychological Medicine, 31, 1159–1168. doi:10.1017/S0033291701004524.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paterniti, S., Verdier-Taillefer, M.-H., Dufouil, C., & Alpérovitch, A. (2002). Depressive symptoms and cognitive decline in elderly people longitudinal study. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 181, 406–410. doi:10.1192/bjp.181.5.406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poulain, M., Pes, G. M., Grasland, C., Carru, C., Ferrucci, L., Baggio, G., et al. (2004). Identification of a geographic area characterized by extreme longevity in the Sardinia Island: the AKEA study. Experimental Gerontology, 39, 1423–1429. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2004.06.016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D Scale: a self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–401. doi:10.1177/014662167700100306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, C. E., & Mirowsky, J. (2006). Sex differences in the effect of education on depression: resource multiplication or resource substitution? Social Science & Medicine, 63(5), 1400–1413. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.03.013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skoog, I. (1993). The prevalence of psychotic, depressive and anxiety syndromes in demented and non-demented 85-years old. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 8, 247–253. doi:10.1002/gps.930080308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snowdon, J., & Lane, F. (1995). The Botany survey: a longitudinal study of depression and cognitive impairment in an elderly population. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 10, 349–358. doi:10.1002/gps.930100503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sonnenberg, C. M., Beekman, A. T. F., Deeg, D. J. H., & van Tilburg, W. (2001). Sex differences in late life depression. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 101, 286–292. doi:10.1034/j.1600-0447.2000.101004286.x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steffens, D. C., Skoog, I., Norton, M. C., Hart, M. S., Tschanz, J. T., & Plassman, B. L. (2000). Prevalence of depression and its treatment in an elderly population the Cache County study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57(6), 601–607.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swenson, C. J., Baxter, J., Shetterly, S. M., Scarbro, S. L., & Hamman, R. F. (2000). Depressive symptoms in Hispanic and non-Hispanic White rural elderly. The San Luis Valley Health and Aging Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 152, 1048–1055. doi:10.1093/aje/152.11.1048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wechsler, D. (1974). Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised (WAIS-R)-third edition. San Antonio: Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yan, X. Y., Huang, S. M., Wu, W. H., & Qin, Y. (2011). Marital status and risk for late life depression: a meta-analysis of the published literature. The Journal of International Medical Research, 39, 1142–1154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pedagogy, Psychology, Philosophy, University of Cagliari, Via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123, Cagliari, Italy

    Maria Chiara Fastame & Maria Pietronilla Penna

  2. Department of Psychology, Southampton Solent University, East Park Terrace, Southampton, SO14 0YN, UK

    Paul Kenneth Hitchcott

Authors
  1. Maria Chiara Fastame
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Maria Pietronilla Penna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paul Kenneth Hitchcott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Chiara Fastame.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Fastame, M.C., Penna, M.P. & Hitchcott, P.K. Mental Health in Late Adulthood: What Can Preserve It?. Applied Research Quality Life 10, 459–471 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-014-9323-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-014-9323-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation