Social Relationships and Depression: Ten-Year Follow-Up from a Nationally Representative Study

Alan R Teo, HwaJung Choi and Marcia Valenstein

PLOS ONE, 2013, vol. 8, issue 4, 1-8

Abstract: Background: Social network characteristics have long been associated with mental health, but their longitudinal impact on depression is less known. We determined whether quality of social relationships and social isolation predicts the development of depression. Methods: The sample consisted of a cohort of 4,642 American adults age 25–75 who completed surveys at baseline in 1995–1996 and at ten-year follow-up. Quality of relationships was assessed with non-overlapping scales of social support and social strain and a summary measure of relationship quality. Social isolation was measured by presence of a partner and reported frequency of social contact. The primary outcome was past year major depressive episode at ten-year follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted, adjusting for the presence of potential confounders. Results: Risk of depression was significantly greater among those with baseline social strain (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.47–2.70), lack of social support (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.37–2.35), and poor overall relationship quality (OR 2.60; 95% CI, 1.84–3.69). Those with the lowest overall quality of social relationships had more than double the risk of depression (14.0%; 95% CI, 12.0–16.0; p

Date: 2013
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0062396

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062396

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