INDEPENDENT ASSOCIATIONS OF APATHY AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS WITH PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT IN HEALTHY OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

AbstractApathy syndrome is distinct from depression but apathy symptoms are present in both conditions. Moreover, apathy symptoms are also present in healthy older adults. Perceived social support is considered a protective factor against adverse health outcomes in the aging population. While numerous studies found depressive symptoms to be inversely associated with perceived social support, the relationship between apathy and perceived social support has not been reported. Hence, we investigated the associations of apathy and depressive symptoms with perceived social support in older adults. The sample included 295 community-dwelling healthy older adults (mean age=78.29yrs; % female=52.9%). Apathy was evaluated with the Apathy Evaluation Scale, depression with the Geriatric Depression Scale- 30, and perceived social support with the Medical Outcomes Study- Social Support Survey. In order to adjust for the apathy symptoms found in depression, four apathy/withdrawal items were excluded, based on prior literature, from the Geriatric Depression Scale. Hierarchical linear regression analysis adjusting for age, gender, education, cognition, and medical comorbidities revealed that, when apathy and depressive symptoms were jointly modeled as predictors, both had significant negative associations with perceived social support. We provided the first evidence that worse apathy symptoms were associated with lower perceived social support in older adults independently of depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that apathy may be a novel risk factor for diminished social support and a plausible candidate for interventions designed to enhance it.