title: Receipt of care and depressive symptoms in later life: the importance of self-perceptions of aging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the extent to which self-perceptions of aging and perceived loss of control explain the relationship between the receipt of care and depressive symptoms among older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consists of individuals aged 51 and older from the 2006, 2008, and 2010 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (n = 5,938). Structural equation modeling was used to test an analytic model that focused on the mediating effects of self-perceptions of aging and perceived loss of control. The respondents' demographic and health characteristics and depressive symptoms at baseline were included as control variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that self-perceptions of aging mediated the relationship between receipt of care and depressive symptoms. That is, older adults who received a greater amount of care perceive their aging more negatively, which, in turn, increased depressive symptoms 2 years later. However, perceived loss of control did not significantly mediate the relationship between the receipt of care and depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the receipt of care may make frail older adults more vulnerable to negative self-perceptions of aging.
authors.affiliation: Correspondence should be addressed to Minyoung Kwak, Ewha Institute of Social Science, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750, Korea. E-mail: mykwak@ewha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Minyoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kwak
authors.forename: Berit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ingersoll-Dayton
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burgard
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept
keywords: Care recipient; Depressive symptoms; Loss of control; Self-perceptions of aging