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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Associations between loneliness, depressive symptoms and perceived togetherness in older people | | Author(s) | P Tiikkainen, R L Heikkinen |
| Journal title | Aging & Mental Health, vol 9, no 6, November 2005 |
| Pages | pp 526-534 |
| Source | http://www.tandfonline.com |
| Keywords | Octogenarians ; Loneliness ; Depression ; Symptoms ; Evaluation ; Quality of life ; Longitudinal surveys ; Finland. |
| Annotation | The associations of loneliness with depressive symptoms was explored in a 5-year follow-up. This study is part of the Finnish Evergreen project, and also describes how the six dimensions of perceived togetherness explain loneliness and depressive symptoms at baseline. Data were collected on 202 residents of Jyväskylä, central Finland, who at baseline in 1990 were aged 80, and 113 residents who at follow-up in 1995 were aged 85. Loneliness was assessed using a questionnaire item with four pre-set response options, perceived togetherness using the Social Provision Scale, and depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A recursive structural equation model showed that in women but not in men, depressive symptoms predicted more experience of loneliness. Those who were lonely were more depressed (CES-D score 16 or over) and experienced less togetherness than those who were not. Loneliness was explained by reliable alliance, social integration and attachment; and depressive symptoms were explained by guidance, reassurance of worth, reliable alliance and attachment. A common feature in both loneliness and depressive symptoms was a lower level of perceived emotional togetherness in social interaction. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-060202239 A |
| Classmark | BBM: DV: ENR: CT: 4C: F:59: 3J: 76L |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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