When the “Golden Years” turn blue

Abstract

Current treatments for disorders of emotion, like pathological anxiety, are often less effective in older adults than in younger adults and have poorly understood mechanisms, pointing to the need for psychopathology models that better account for age-related changes in normative emotional functioning and the expression of disordered emotion. This article describes ways in which the healthy aging and emotion literature can enhance understanding and treatment of symptoms of anxiety and depression in later life. We offer recommendations for how to integrate the healthy aging literatures' theories and findings with psychopathology research and clinical practice, and highlight opportunities for future research.

Assessing urban-rural differences in the relationship between social capital and depression among Ghanaian and South African older adults

“…In terms of the positive relationship observed between sociability and depression, depressed individuals are known to become more withdrawn and decrease social interaction [36–38] rather than more social as the current analysis suggests. Yet, given the mixed results linking structural social capital and common mental disorders in the review by De Silva and colleagues [3], the authors posit that they could be influenced by the fact that individuals suffering from mental illness may also be less likely to be actively or regularly working and thus be more available to participate in social activities.…”