Nondysphoric Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Abilities in Healthy Older Adults

Research has shown that depression is associated with poorer cognitive performance and cognitive decline. Cognitive functions such as processing speed, language ability, memory, and executive functions have been found to be affected in older adults with depression. However, there is limited research focused on the effects of minimal or mild depressive symptoms in older adults who do not meet criteria for a depressive disorder. Older adults are more likely than any other population to endorse depressive symptoms in the absence of typical dysphoric symptoms that would qualify an individual for a depressive disorder. Understanding the effects of nondysphoric depressive symptoms on cognitive abilities is valuable in detecting and treating more cases of depression in older adults that may otherwise remain undiagnosed. The current study examines the effects of nondysphoric depressive symptoms on processing speed, language ability, memory, attention, and executive functions in healthy older adults. Results of structural regression modeling analyses indicate that the models in the current study of the effect of nondysphoric symptoms of cognitive abilities are not a good fit for the data and cannot be interpreted as significant results. However, trends in the data may suggest relationships similar to models including both dysphoric and nondysphoric depression and their effect on cognitive abilities. Limitations of the study, possible reasons for poor model fit, and future research directions are discussed

Stress, Depression, Social Support, and Help-Seeking in College Student-Athletes

Student-athletes have been identified as a distinctive sub-population in universities and colleges that face unique stressors and pressures that may put them at risk for developing mental health problems, including depression, when compared to student non-athletes. However, student-athletes have been found to seek help from mental health professionals less often than student non-athletes. Studies of college students in the general population have shown that social support networks can play an important part in “buffering” or moderating the effect of stress on both depression and help-seeking, which may also be the case for student-athletes. The purpose of the current study is to examine what stress factors predict attitudes toward help-seeking, and to test the role of social support as a moderator of the relationship between stress and depression, and attitudes toward help-seeking in college student athletes. The sample included 134 undergraduate college student-athletes and 2 graduate college student-athletes from several U.S. colleges, sports, and athletic divisions, with a mean age of 19.53 years old (SD = 1.3), 77.9% of participants being female, and 77.2% being. Participants completed an online survey regarding their experiences of stress, depression, perceived social support, and attitudes toward help-seeking. We use hierarchical linear regression analyses to examine perceived social support as a moderator of the relationship between stress and attitudes toward help-seeking, between depression and attitudes toward help-seeking, and between stress and depression. An additional regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between several areas of stress experienced by student-athletes and their attitudes toward help-seeking. Results showed that social support did not have a moderating effect on the relationships among stress, depression, and attitudes toward help-seeking. However, increased stress was associated with increased depression, and both stress and depression were negatively associated with attitudes toward help-seeking. These results suggest a reluctance to seek help among college student-athletes despite the experience of stress and depression. Possible negative influences that may impact student-athletes’ decision to seek help may include time pressures and stigma in the athletic culture