Abstract
Depression is a mental health disorder that significantly impacts quality of life in older adults. Chronic perceived stress and emotion regulation (ER) are both associated with onset and maintenance of depression. Maladaptive ER has been linked to greater perceived stress levels and prolonged experience of depressed mood. It is suggested that the use of adaptive ER strategies requires different domains of executive functions (EF), which commonly decline with chronic stress and increase in age. Given that some ER strategies require greater cognitive resources, it is plausible that both perceived stress and EF may modify the relationship between ER and depression. The present study examined the role of EF and perceived stress in the relationship between ER and depression among community-dwelling older adults. Participants (N = 70) aged 60+ completed the Trail-Making Task B, the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and Perceived Stress Scale-10 as part of a larger study. Controlling for age, sex, education, and perceived socioeconomic status, a significant indirect effect of maladaptive ER on depression through perceived stress was found (0.47, 95% CI [0.21, 0.84]). This mediation was moderated by levels of EF (Maladaptive ER x EF: β = .01, t = 2.20, p = .03). This study is the first to elucidate the interrelationship between underlying mechanisms of depression and may help support the development of personalized programs that help maintain emotional well-being among older adults.