Using three CHARLS waves from 5,208 adults aged 60 and older, we examined trajectories and within-person dynamics of cognitive function and depressive symptoms using parallel-process latent growth curve modeling (PP-LGCM) and random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling (RI-CLPM). PP-LGCM showed increasing depressive symptoms and declining cognition; baseline depressive symptoms were associated with less favorable cognitive change, although estimates varied across sensitivity analyses. RI-CLPM showed a negative stable between-person association and significant concurrent within-person associations, but no significant cross-lagged paths. These findings support joint assessment in gerontological social work practice, without assuming that change in one domain precedes change in the other. .
Depressive symptoms in later life are associated not only with how often older adults interact but also with qualitative aspects of communication, such as self-disclosure, that have received less research attention. This study examined patterns of conversational frequency and self-disclosure and their associations with depressive symptoms among 187 community-dwelling older adults. Latent class analysis identified three profiles: low frequency with low self-disclosure, moderate levels of both, and active communication with high self-disclosure. After adjustment, the active, high-disclosure profile showed significantly lower depressive symptoms than the low-frequency, low-disclosure profile. These findings may help social workers identify psychosocial risk and inform late-life depression prevention.
