Abstract
Spousal interdependence impacts a variety of physical and mental health conditions in late life. Of particular importance to older adults’ mental health is cognitive functioning. We performed longitudinal, dyadic path analysis with the Actor Partner Interdependence Model using data from 1028 married couples in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Cognitive functioning was measured with the Modified Mini-Mental examination, and depression was measured with the 10-item CESD at visit 5 (1992/1993), visit 8 (1995/1996), and visit 11 (1998/1999). Covariates (age, education, and disability) were from the 1989/1990 original and 1992/1993 African American cohort baseline visits. Results showed actor effects such that an individual’s lower cognitive functioning predicted greater depressive symptoms, but greater depressive symptoms did not predict lower cognitive functioning over time. For partner effects, an individual’s greater depressive symptoms predicted their partner’s lower cognitive functioning, but an individual’s lower cognitive functioning did not predict their partner’s greater depressive symptoms over time.