%0 Thesis %B Clinical Psychology %D 2017 %T The Role of Negative Cognitions in Depression, Functional Limitations, and Activity: A National Longitudinal Study of Older Adults %A Diane C Wagner %Y Jerome L Short %K Demographics %K Health Conditions and Status %K Healthcare %X This study examines the role of negative cognitions in late life depression, functional limitations, and activity. Participants were 673 adults (36% male) aged 50 to 88 who completed repeated measures in 2004, 2008, and 2012 as part of the Health and Retirement Study, a large nationally representative longitudinal sample. Novel contributions of this study include combining functional limitations and cognitions in a cognitive model of depression to include aspects of depression that are specific to older adults, examining the unique contribution of cognitions in depression, and testing both growth and temporal covariance to capture the interrelatedness of depression and related factors over time. Three bivariate Latent Difference Score models tested time-lagged associations in pairs of variables at three time points. Contrary to expectations, depression levels and negative cognitions were unrelated over time, suggesting that cognitive theories of depression, which place cognitions at the core of depression etiology and maintenance, may not generalize to older adults. Negative cognitions were not related to functional limitations, suggesting that functional limitations do not influence negative cognitions in older adults. Higher levels of negative cognitions were related to increases in activity over time, suggesting that negative cognitions may motivate older adults to increase activity levels. %B Clinical Psychology %I George Mason University %C Fairfax, VA %V Ph.D. %P 101 %@ 9781339532547 %G English %U http://mars.gmu.edu/handle/1920/10134 %9 Dissertation %M 1773972497 %4 0622:Clinical psychology %! The Role of Negative Cognitions in Depression, Functional Limitations, and Activity: A National Longitudinal Study of Older Adults %0 Journal Article %J Prev Chronic Dis %D 2014 %T Longitudinal predictors of self-rated health and mortality in older adults. %A Diane C Wagner %A Jerome L Short %K Age Factors %K Aged %K Aged, 80 and over %K Body Mass Index %K Chronic disease %K depression %K Educational Status %K Female %K Health Behavior %K Health Status Indicators %K Humans %K Longitudinal Studies %K Male %K Mental Recall %K Middle Aged %K Proportional Hazards Models %K Psychometrics %K Retirement %K Self Report %K Survival Analysis %K United States %X

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have compared the effects of demographic, cognitive, and behavioral factors of health and mortality longitudinally. We examined predictors of self-rated health and mortality at 3 points, each 2 years apart, over 4 years.

METHODS: We used data from the 2006 wave of the Health and Retirement Study and health and mortality indicators from 2006, 2008, and 2010. We analyzed data from 17,930 adults (aged 50-104 y) to examine predictors of self-rated health and data from a subgroup of 1,171 adults who died from 2006 through 2010 to examine predictors of mortality.

RESULTS: Time 1 depression was the strongest predictor of self-rated health at all points, independent of age and education. Education, mild activities, body mass index, delayed word recall, and smoking were all associated with self-rated health at each point and predicted mortality. Delayed word recall mediated the relationships of mild activity with health and mortality. Bidirectional mediation was found for the effects of mild activity and depression on health.

CONCLUSION: Medical professionals should consider screening for depression and memory difficulties in addition to conducting medical assessments. These assessments could lead to more effective biopsychosocial interventions to help older adults manage risks for mortality.

%B Prev Chronic Dis %I 11 %V 11 %P E93 %8 2014 Jun 05 %G eng %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24901793?dopt=Abstract %2 PMC4049199 %4 Self assessed health/depression/mortality/memory decline/psychosocial influences/psychosocial influences %$ 999999 %R 10.5888/pcd11.130241