University of Kentucky
Repetitive Thought and Depression in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study
Institution
University of Kentucky
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Suzanne Segerstrom
Abstract
Repetitive thought (RT) can have constructive or deconstructive consequences on mental health. For instance, negatively valenced RT is connected with higher rates of depressive symptoms. This study examined the relationship between RT qualities of valence (i.e., positive vs. negative) and topic (i.e., self-focused vs. other-focused) and depression in individuals over 60. Whether self- or other-focus affects depression more for older adults is unknown. On the one hand, depressed people give more self-focused responses than control groups, suggesting that RT about the self may be more important. On the other hand, socioemotional selectivity theory states that with aging, individuals will place a high priority on well-known social partners suggesting that RT about others, especially in older adulthood, may be more important. It was hypothesized that negative valence would correlate with higher depression within and between subjects. We also tested the interaction between valence and topic within and between subjects. RT ratings and Geriatric Depression Scale scores were collected from 167 participants up to 6 years (total=582) and subjected to multi-level modeling. More negative valence across waves associated with higher depression scores (gamma = 1.24, t(163) = 4.50, p < 0.0001). This effect was moderated by topic, such that valence had a stronger relationship with depression when the topic was about the self than when it was about others (gamma = –0.82, t(163) = –2.75, p < 0.007). When thoughts are self-focused, it may indicate a deficit in the individual in terms of attention to social relations or a small social network.
Repetitive Thought and Depression in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study
Repetitive thought (RT) can have constructive or deconstructive consequences on mental health. For instance, negatively valenced RT is connected with higher rates of depressive symptoms. This study examined the relationship between RT qualities of valence (i.e., positive vs. negative) and topic (i.e., self-focused vs. other-focused) and depression in individuals over 60. Whether self- or other-focus affects depression more for older adults is unknown. On the one hand, depressed people give more self-focused responses than control groups, suggesting that RT about the self may be more important. On the other hand, socioemotional selectivity theory states that with aging, individuals will place a high priority on well-known social partners suggesting that RT about others, especially in older adulthood, may be more important. It was hypothesized that negative valence would correlate with higher depression within and between subjects. We also tested the interaction between valence and topic within and between subjects. RT ratings and Geriatric Depression Scale scores were collected from 167 participants up to 6 years (total=582) and subjected to multi-level modeling. More negative valence across waves associated with higher depression scores (gamma = 1.24, t(163) = 4.50, p < 0.0001). This effect was moderated by topic, such that valence had a stronger relationship with depression when the topic was about the self than when it was about others (gamma = –0.82, t(163) = –2.75, p < 0.007). When thoughts are self-focused, it may indicate a deficit in the individual in terms of attention to social relations or a small social network.