[A panel model of the relationships between loneliness and depression in older adults]

Abstract

Antecedents and objective: The declining birth rate and increasing life expectancy have led to an aging population, causing challenges at the economic, social and healthcare levels. Ensuring and maintaining high levels of well-being and mental health in older adults is crucial for successful aging. Given that previous literature indicates that perceived loneliness and depressive symptoms constitute significant obstacles to their quality of life, the aim of this study is to examine how perceived loneliness and depression intertwined in community-dwelling older adults over time.

Methodology: For this purpose, we conducted a longitudinal research study with a total of 46,317 European older adults (57.40% women), using the SHARE database (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe), at waves 6, 7, and 8, spanning a recent four-year period from 2016 to 2020. Several cross-lagged panel models were estimated using the structural equation modeling package Mplus.

Results: The results show that loneliness and depression are bidirectionally related, which is difficult to combat because of their feedback and stability over time.

Conclusions: We discuss the practical implications of these findings concerning the potential double-edged sword of these reciprocal relationships on treatment and preventive interventions, as well as the study's limitations and future research directions.

Keywords: Aging; Depresión; Depression; Envejecimiento; Estudio longitudinal; Loneliness; Longitudinal study; SHARE; Soledad.