• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1611-1628
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• 2009

It is well known that health and psychosocial factors are closely associated with depressive symptoms. Due to limitations in available data and analysis methods, however, little is known about the effects of health and psychosocial factors on depression trajectory. In order to address the limitations, this study examines the predictors of depression trajectory using latent growth curve modeling involving individuals aged 60 and over who participated in the Korean Welfare Panel Study (N=4,919). Controlling for socioeconomic variables, health and psychosocial variables were cross-sectionally associated with depressive symptoms, which is consistent with previous findings. However, the effects of health and psychosocial variables on the rate of depressive symptom change varied. Health variables were significantly associated with the levels of depressive symptoms at wave 1, but these were not significantly associated with the rate of depressive symptoms change. By contrast, although psychosocial variables were significantly associated with depressive symptoms at wave 1, the effects of psychosocial variables on the rate of depressive symptom change varied. Specifically, while self-esteem and family relationship were positively associated with the rate of depressive symptom change, social relationship was negatively associated with the rate of depressive symptom change. Based on the findings, this study discussed implications for intervention and future research.