A new look at nursing home residents' depressive symptoms: the role of basic versus expanded everyday competence.
Depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in nursing home (NH) residents. The relationship between depressive symptoms and everyday competence in terms of basic (BaCo) and expanded everyday competence (ExCo; see Baltes et al., 2001) in the NH setting is, however, not clear. Applying Lewinsohn's depression model, we examined how residents' BaCo and ExCo relate to their depressive symptoms. Furthermore, we investigated the mediating role of perceived control.



Cross-sectional data from 196 residents (M age = 83.7 years, SD = 9.4 years) of two German NHs were analyzed. Study variables were assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale-Residential (GDS-12R), maximal gait speed (BaCo), proxy ratings of residents' in-home activity participation, and self-initiated social contact done by staff (ExCo). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used and a simulation study was included to determine power and potential estimation bias.



At the descriptive level, one quarter of the residents showed symptoms of depression according to the GDS-12R cut-off criterion. Residents' BaCo and ExCo were independently and equally strongly associated with their depressive symptoms in the SEM analysis. These findings were affected neither by cognitive impairment, sex, nor age. Perceived control mediated between BaCo but not ExCo and depressive symptoms.



Future research needs to follow the connection between residents' everyday competence and their depressive symptoms longitudinally to better understand the underlying mechanisms.
Department of Psychological Aging Research,Institute of Psychology,Heidelberg University,69115 Heidelberg,Germany.
Mona
M
Diegelmann
Department of Psychological Aging Research,Institute of Psychology,Heidelberg University,69115 Heidelberg,Germany.
Hans-Werner
HW
Wahl
Department of Psychological Aging Research,Institute of Psychology,Heidelberg University,69115 Heidelberg,Germany.
Oliver K
OK
Schilling
Department of Psychological Aging Research,Institute of Psychology,Heidelberg University,69115 Heidelberg,Germany.
Carl-Philipp
CP
Jansen
Department of Psychological Aging Research,Institute of Psychology,Heidelberg University,69115 Heidelberg,Germany.
Katrin
K
Classen
Department of Geriatric Research,Bethanien-Hospital/Geriatric Center at Heidelberg University,69126 Heidelberg,Germany.
Klaus
K
Hauer
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005858:Germany; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008961:Models, Structural; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D066107:Social Skills
depressive symptoms; everyday competence; functional impairment; nursing home; social activity; structural equation modeling