Trajectories of Depressive Symptomatology and Loneliness in Older Adult Sexual Minorities and Heterosexual Groups

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjectives: This article examines whether sexual minority men and women experience greater increases in depressive symptoms and loneliness with age compared to heterosexual men and women.Methods: Using three waves of data from sexual minority (nMen = 87 and nWomen = 62) and heterosexual (nMen = 1,297 and nWomen = 1,362) older adults in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, we used latent growth curve modeling to test whether change in depressive symptoms and loneliness varies across sexual orientation and whether annual household income and family support accounted for this change.Results: Although differences in the growth trajectories of depressive symptoms and loneliness across sexual orientation were not observed, gender differences were. Annual household income and family support more strongly influenced initial depressive symptoms and loneliness in sexual minority men and women than in heterosexual men and women.Conclusions: Trajectories of depressive symptoms and loneliness in older adulthood do not vary by sexual orientation. Economic and family resources may allow sexual minorities to cope effectively with depressive symptoms and loneliness.Clinical Implications: Clinicians should be cautious about assuming that older sexual minority group members are more susceptible to depressive symptoms and loneliness than heterosexual groups by virtue of their sexual preference.