A Longitudinal Study on Multidimensional Resilience to Physical and Psychosocial Stress in Elderly Mexicans

Objectives: To identify trajectories of depression and daily disability in the context of serious falls and widowhood and to predict those trajectories before the events occurred. Methods: Longitudinal data were used from the Mexican Health and Aging Study. Trajectories were estimated using latent class growth analysis. Internal and socio-ecological resources were analyzed as predictors of the trajectories. Results: Unfavorable (worsening of symptoms and chronic high symptoms) and favorable (improvement of symptoms and stable low symptoms (resistance)) trajectories were identified. Favorable trajectories were more likely for daily disability. Persons who showed resistance in depression also tended to show resistance in daily disability. Net worth, cognition, and subjective well-being were early predictors for most trajectories. Discussion: Besides resistance, individuals rather show different co-occurring trajectories in the studied outcomes. While some factors could be identified that lead to favorable trajectories in both stressful contexts, the study also shows the necessity for context-specific research and praxis.