The relationship between older adults ’ perceptions of ageing and depression: a systematic review

The relationship between older adults’ perceptions of ageing and depression: a systematic review Gemma Hartley, Jack Purrington Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.- Perceptions of ageing towards the self and towards others can positively and negatively impact an older adult’s mental wellbeing. This paper aims to consolidate literature examining the relationship between perceptions of ageing and depression in older adults to inform both practice and policy for older adult mental health services.Quantitative research articles examining perceptions of ageing and depression in older adults were identified through searches on three electronical databases, alongside forward and backwards citation searches. A total of 14 articles involving 31,211 participants were identified.Greater negative attitudes towards ageing were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and greater positive attitudes towards ageing were associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms or higher levels of happiness. However, the causal direction of this relationship could not be determined. Studies demonstrated that perceptions of ageing also act as a moderator in the relationship between depression and health status, hopelessness and personality traits. Future research should attempt to examine the relationship between perceptions of ageing and depression in older adults to attempt to identify the causal direction of this relationship.This is th...
Source: Quality in Ageing and Older Adults - Category: Geriatrics Authors: Source Type: research