Early Life Critical Transitions in the Relationship Between Current Life Stressors and Depressive Symptoms Among Community-Residing Older Lebanese Adults

Abstract

This study uses the life course and life stress paradigms to better understand the role of earlier life transitions and current late life stressors on depressive symptomatology among a subset of older Lebanese. Occurrence, timing and life stage of five critical transitions and their impact on stressful events and current depression levels were investigated. Results show elevated depressive symptoms among older Lebanese who experienced health decline transitions during the 16-year Lebanese war. For those experiencing health decline off-time, or every early in life, increased depressive symptoms were observed when exposed to an increased number of current life stressors. Current depressive symptoms were exacerbated among older Lebanese with no earlier history of a health decline but who had a recent health event compared to those with experiences of health decline at younger ages. The cross-sectional nature of the data warrants caution in interpreting the study’s results; however, findings highlight the importance of the life course perspective, and, in particular, the appropriateness of understanding early life experiences in shaping trajectories of late life psychological wellbeing and coping in research and practice.