Subjective Memory Complaints and Depression in the Able Elderly

This study investigated the relationship between subjective memory complaint and depression in the able elderly. Participants (n = 90) for this study were community dwelling elderly (Mean age = 70). Level of depression symptoms were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory and the Geriatric Depression Scale while memory complaints were measured with the Memory Assessment Clinic Self-Report Scale. These test scores were then combined to form an affective and somatic factor of depression as well as a sum total of subjective memory complaint. Significant relationships were found between total subjective memory complaint and the affective factor of depression and total subjective memory complaint and the somatic factor of depression. In addition, a profile analysis revealed distinct depression groups as defined through cutoff scores within these measures. One such group delineated was a "masked depressed" subgroup (8.8% of the sample). Suggestions for future research as well as implications of these findings were discussed.