A Multidimensional Examination of Depression among the Elderly

Data from 868 eastern North Carolina elders are used to examine the effects of variables hypothesized to moderate the impact of life strain on depression. Principal components factor analysis is used to categorize depression into subdimensions of life satisfaction, withdrawal, and general depressive affect. Although independent variables such as instrumental activities of daily living limitations as an indicator of life strain are found to affect the subdimensions, differences pertaining only to certain subdimensions of depression are found. The findings support the importance of subdimensions of depression and suggest variability among subpopulations within a primarily nonurban sample.