title: Perceived control as a longitudinal moderator of late-life stressors on depressive symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined perceived control as a moderator of the relationship between late-life stressors and depressive symptoms among a sample of older New Zealanders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from a longitudinal study with two data collection periods, one year apart. The Time 1 sample consisted of 1489 participants ranging in age from 65 to 94 years and 72% percent participated at Time 2. Correlational and multiple regression procedures were used to examine study hypotheses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that Time 1 perceived control beliefs were a unique predictor of depressive symptoms at Time 2 after controlling for Time 1 depressives symptoms and other relevant variables. Further, perceived control beliefs at Time 1 moderated the relationship between late-life stressors and depressive symptoms at Time 2. Those with low perceived control demonstrated a stronger relationship between late-life stressors and depressive symptoms than those with high perceived control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence that perceived control influences levels of depressive symptoms over time among older adults. Results also support the hypothesis that control beliefs moderate the relationship between late-life stressors and depressive symptoms among older adults. Implications include attributional retraining to promote perceived control and subsequent well-being in older adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alaska Anchorage, AK, USA. afpld@uaa.alaska.edu
authors.forename: Patrick L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Dulin
authors.forename: Bridget L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Diane K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires