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24th European Congress of Psychiatry / European Psychiatry 33S (2016) S116–S348
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to loneliness and altogether influence risk for mental disorders is
not well understood.
Objectives
To examine the mediating role of loneliness in the
associations of relationship quality and social networks with
depressive symptoms, anxiety, and worry among a sample of Irish
men and women in late-life.
Aims
To determine the gender-specific risk for mental disorder
associated with poor social relationships and loneliness among
older adults.
Methods
Data came from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing
(TILDA). Nationally representative data on 6105 community-
dwelling adults aged > 50 years were analyzed. Follow-up data was
obtained two years after cohort inception. Multivariable linear
regressions and mediation analyses were used to assess the asso-
ciations. Analyses were stratified by gender.
Results
Better spousal relationship qualitywas protective against
depressive symptoms and worry for men. For both genders, sup-
port from friends was protective against depressive symptoms, and
better relationship quality with children was protective against
depressive symptoms and worry. Social network integration was
inversely related to depressive symptoms for men. Loneliness sig-
nificantly mediated most associations
( Tables 1–3 ).Conclusions
High quality spousal relationships and social inte-
gration appear to play a more central role for mental health among
men than for women. For both genders, poor social relationships
increase feelings of loneliness, which in turn worsens mental
health. Interventions to improve relationship quality and social
networks, with a focus on reducing loneliness, may be beneficial
for the prevention of mental disorders among older adults.
Table 1
Loneliness
a
as a mediator of the link between relation-
ship quality
b
, social networks
c
and depressive symptoms
d
at 2-year
follow-up in older adults.
Table 2
Loneliness
a
as a mediator of the link between relationship
quality
b
, social networks
c
and anxiety
d
at 2-year follow-up in older
adults.
Table 3
Loneliness
a
as a mediator of the link between relationship
quality
b
, social networks
c
and depressive worry
d
at 2-year follow-
up in older adults.