Presentation Schedule
The Impact of Aging Perceptions on Depression Among Older Adults: A Systematic Review of Evidence and Implications for Mental Health Practice (95567)
Session Chair: Beatriz David
Sunday, 13 July 2025 13:55
Session: Session 3
Room: UCL Torrington, G13 (Ground Floor)
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation
This systematic review examined the relationship between older adults' perceptions of aging and depression, aiming to enhance understanding of how internalized ageism affects mental health outcomes in later life. Following PRISMA guidelines, we analyzed 90 publications from 2010-2024 using bibliometric techniques through RStudio and the Biblioshiny interface. The analysis revealed three distinct research clusters: depression and cognitive function, healthy aging interventions, and self-perception of aging processes. Network analysis identified depression as the most central concept (betweenness: 361.81, PageRank: 0.119), functioning as a critical bridge between psychological, social, and physical dimensions of aging research. Longitudinal studies demonstrated that negative aging perceptions exacerbate psychological vulnerability, particularly during crisis periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Social factors—notably loneliness and social disconnectedness—emerged as significant mediators between aging perceptions and mental health outcomes. Protective factors like optimism and resilience buffered against negative self-perceptions of aging. The publication trajectory showed accelerating scholarly interest, increasing fifteen-fold from 2010 to 2024, with the most significant growth occurring after 2020. These findings suggest that mental health assessments for older adults should incorporate measures of aging attitudes, particularly during vulnerable periods. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies investigating bidirectional relationships between aging perceptions and depression, culturally diverse intervention studies targeting modifiable protective factors, and the integration of neurobiological approaches with psychosocial frameworks to better understand the mechanisms through which internalized ageism influences mental health outcomes in increasingly age-diverse societies.
Authors:
Huda Alghamdi, Mental Health Department, Saudi Arabia
About the Presenter(s)
Huda Othman Alghamdi works as a psychologist
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