ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE DIMENSIONS OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AND SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS IN OLDER ADULTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

This article aimed to evaluate the association between the dimensions of subjective well-being and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in older adults receiving care at a referral hospital within the Brazilian Unified Health System. A quantitative, observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 30 participants. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, the Subjective Well-Being Scale, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Descriptive analyses, Spearman’s correlations, and exact tests for categorical associations were performed, including effect-size assessment and adjustment for multiple comparisons. Half of the participants presented some level of depressive and anxiety symptoms, while more than one-third presented stress symptoms. After statistical adjustment, negative affect remained positively associated with depression and stress, whereas life satisfaction was inversely associated with depression. No significant associations were found for positive affect or sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The findings indicate that the components of subjective well-being have distinct relationships with psychological distress, reinforcing the importance of assessing these dimensions in health care for older adults.