Association between social participation and depressive symptoms in Korean middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal analysis using the Korean longitudinal study of aging, 2010–2024
Abstract
ObjectivesDepression imposes a substantial burden on individuals in later life, and social participation has been consistently associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults.DesignSecondary analysis of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging.SettingA national public database.ParticipantsWe analyzed data of 4,061 community-dwelling adults aged ≥45 years who participated in all waves (2008–2024); baseline characteristics at wave 2 are presented for 3,945 participants (1,627 men and 2,318 women).Primary and secondary outcome measuresDepressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item version of the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; a positive screen for depressive symptoms was defined as a score of ≥4. Respondents were categorized into four groups according to social participation transition patterns. Analyses were conducted using the generalized estimating equations approach.ResultsCompared with sustained non-participation, newly initiating participation (aOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.59–0.77) and sustained participation (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67–0.86) were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms, whereas ceasing participation was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms (aOR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.96–1.21). These associations remained significant after multiple-comparison adjustment, with no evidence of effect modification by sex, and newly initiating participation was also associated with lower odds of moderate and high depressive symptom categories.ConclusionThe initiation and maintenance of social participation were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. These findings support social participation as a potential intervention target for the improvement of mental health in this population.Strengths and limitations of this studyThis study used nationally representative longitudinal data from Korean adults aged 45 years and older and examined changes in social participation over time using transition-based models and multiple sensitivity analyses, allowing a nuanced assessment of initiation, cessation, and sustained participation in relation to depressive symptoms. However, social participation was measured using self-reported items that did not capture the intensity or quality of engagement, depressive symptoms were assessed with a screening scale rather than clinical diagnoses, and the observational longitudinal design cannot exclude bidirectional relationships between social participation and depressive symptoms.
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BibTeX
@article{min2026association,
title = {{Association between social participation and depressive symptoms in Korean middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal analysis using the Korean longitudinal study of aging, 2010–2024}},
author = {Gyungjoo Min and Jisu Ko and Ahjung Ko and Yoonhee Son and Eun-Cheol Park},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1923585},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1923585},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Association between social participation and depressive symptoms in Korean middle-aged and older adults: a longitudinal analysis using the Korean longitudinal study of aging, 2010–2024
AU - Gyungjoo Min
AU - Jisu Ko
AU - Ahjung Ko
AU - Yoonhee Son
AU - Eun-Cheol Park
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/09
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1923585
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1923585
AB - ObjectivesDepression imposes a substantial burden on individuals in later life, and social participation has been consistently associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults.DesignSecondary analysis of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging.SettingA national public database.ParticipantsWe analyzed data of 4,061 community-dwelling adults aged ≥45 years who participated in all waves (2008–2024); baseline characteristics at wave 2 are presented for 3,945 participants (1,627 men and 2,318 women).Primary and secondary outcome measuresDepressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item version of the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; a positive screen for depressive symptoms was defined as a score of ≥4. Respondents were categorized into four groups according to social participation transition patterns. Analyses were conducted using the generalized estimating equations approach.ResultsCompared with sustained non-participation, newly initiating participation (aOR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.59–0.77) and sustained participation (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67–0.86) were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms, whereas ceasing participation was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms (aOR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.96–1.21). These associations remained significant after multiple-comparison adjustment, with no evidence of effect modification by sex, and newly initiating participation was also associated with lower odds of moderate and high depressive symptom categories.ConclusionThe initiation and maintenance of social participation were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults. These findings support social participation as a potential intervention target for the improvement of mental health in this population.Strengths and limitations of this studyThis study used nationally representative longitudinal data from Korean adults aged 45 years and older and examined changes in social participation over time using transition-based models and multiple sensitivity analyses, allowing a nuanced assessment of initiation, cessation, and sustained participation in relation to depressive symptoms. However, social participation was measured using self-reported items that did not capture the intensity or quality of engagement, depressive symptoms were assessed with a screening scale rather than clinical diagnoses, and the observational longitudinal design cannot exclude bidirectional relationships between social participation and depressive symptoms.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -