title: Older adults display concurrent but not delayed associations between life stressors and depressive symptoms: a microlongitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigated the temporal association between life event stressors relevant to older adults and depressive symptoms using a micro-longitudinal design (i.e., monthly increments over a six-month period). Existing research on stress and depressive symptoms has not examined this association over shorter time periods (e.g., monthly), over multiple time increments, or within-persons.
  
  
  METHODS
  An in-person initial interview was followed by six monthly interviews conducted by telephone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from a study of 144 community-dwelling older adults with depressive symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stressful life events were measured using the Geriatric Life Events Scale (GALES), and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Short - Geriatric Depression Scale (S-GDS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using multilevel modeling, 31% of the S-GDS' and 39% of the GALES' overall variance was due to within-person variability. Females and persons with worse health reported more depressive symptoms. Stressful life events predicted concurrent depressive symptoms, but not depressive symptoms one month later.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of a time-lagged relationship suggests that older adults with depressive symptoms may recover more quickly from life stressors than previously thought, although additional research using varying time frames is needed to pinpoint the timing of this recovery as well as to identify older adults at risk of long-term effects of life stressors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Mental Health Disparities, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL; Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL. Electronic address: nataliedd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Natalie D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Dautovich
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dzierzewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Aging and Mental Health Disparities, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL; Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, University of South Florida.
authors.forename: Amber M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gum
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Older adults; depressive symptoms; longitudinal; stressful life events; variability