Cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms in the aging population: The buffering role of marital status

IF 5 2区医学 Q1 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Social Science & Medicine Pub Date : 2025-07-17 DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118425

M. Ciziceno , G. Maggio

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study examines the moderating role of marital status in the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning in older adults from 12 European countries. Using longitudinal panel data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we hypothesize that marriage buffers the negative effects of depression on cognitive abilities, focusing on immediate and delayed memory and verbal fluency.

Building on the Social Ambivalence and Disease (SAD) model, we argue that not only the presence of a marital relationship, but also its quality, plays a crucial role in shaping mental and cognitive health.

Our findings indicate that marriage has a protective effect on verbal fluency, likely due to the cognitive stimulation provided by spousal interactions. This buffering effect does not extend to other cognitive domains, such as immediate and delayed memory, which may be more influenced by neurobiological factors. Moreover, we find that in the context of depression symptoms married women benefit more from the protective effects of marriage than men, possibly due to gender differences in social engagement within relationships. The results underscore the importance of both marital support and relationship quality for cognitive health. From a policy perspective, initiatives promoting spousal engagement, horizontal networking, and peer-support programs may help reduce the cognitive risks associated with depression and social isolation in older adults.

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老龄化人群认知功能与抑郁症状：婚姻状况的缓冲作用

本研究考察了来自12个欧洲国家的老年人的婚姻状况在抑郁症状和认知功能之间的关系中的调节作用。利用欧洲健康、老龄化和退休调查（SHARE）的纵向面板数据，我们假设婚姻缓冲了抑郁对认知能力的负面影响，重点是即时和延迟记忆以及语言流畅性。在社会矛盾心理和疾病（SAD）模型的基础上，我们认为不仅婚姻关系的存在，而且婚姻关系的质量，在塑造心理和认知健康方面起着至关重要的作用。我们的研究结果表明，婚姻对语言流畅性有保护作用，可能是由于配偶互动提供的认知刺激。这种缓冲效应不会扩展到其他认知领域，如即时和延迟记忆，这可能更多地受到神经生物学因素的影响。此外，我们发现，在出现抑郁症状的情况下，已婚女性比男性更能从婚姻的保护作用中获益，这可能是由于两性在人际关系中的社会参与方面存在差异。研究结果强调了婚姻支持和关系质量对认知健康的重要性。从政策角度来看，促进配偶参与、横向网络和同伴支持计划的举措可能有助于减少老年人与抑郁和社会孤立相关的认知风险。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Social Science & Medicine PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

5.60%

发文量

762

审稿时长

38 days

期刊介绍： Social Science & Medicine provides an international and interdisciplinary forum for the dissemination of social science research on health. We publish original research articles (both empirical and theoretical), reviews, position papers and commentaries on health issues, to inform current research, policy and practice in all areas of common interest to social scientists, health practitioners, and policy makers. The journal publishes material relevant to any aspect of health from a wide range of social science disciplines (anthropology, economics, epidemiology, geography, policy, psychology, and sociology), and material relevant to the social sciences from any of the professions concerned with physical and mental health, health care, clinical practice, and health policy and organization. We encourage material which is of general interest to an international readership.