Social participation and depressive symptoms among older adults during the Covid-19 pandemic in Serbia: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the predictors and level of social participation and depressive symptoms within the context of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate if the residence and type of housing had a moderating role in the relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms. METHODS: This cross-sectional, comparative, and correlational study was conducted on a sample of 299 participants. Research instruments used in this study included: socio-demographic questionnaire, the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Maastricht Social Participation Profile, and Mini-Mental State Exam. RESULTS: Social participation was found to contribute negatively to symptoms of depression (β = -0.245, p < .01), with a higher level of depression being found in older adults living in nursing homes (β = -0.152, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed a strong relationship between social participation and depressive symptoms in the COVID-19 pandemic.