Bond, L., Carroll, R., Mulryan, N., O'Dwyer, M., O'Connell, J., Monaghan, R., Sheerin, Fintan, McCallion, P. and McCarron, M. (2020) Biopsychosocial factors associated with depression and anxiety in older adults with intellectual disability: results of the wave 3 Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 64 (5). pp. 368-380. ISSN 0964-2633
Preview
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike.
Download (179kB) | Preview
Abstract
Background
Depression and anxiety are amongst the most prevalent mental health disorders in the older population with intellectual disability (ID). There is a paucity of research that pertains to associative biopsychosocial factors for depression and anxiety in this population. The aim of this study is to determine the biopsychosocial factors associated with depression and anxiety in a population of older adults with ID in Ireland.
Methods
The study was part of ‘The Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing’. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Glasgow Depression Scale for people with a Learning Disability. Anxiety symptoms were measured using the Glasgow Anxiety Scale for people with a Learning Disability. The cross‐sectional associations of depression and anxiety with biopsychosocial parameters were measured using a variety of self‐report and proxy‐completed questionnaires.
Results
For the study population, 9.97% met the criteria for depression, and 15.12% met the criteria for an anxiety disorder. Participants meeting criteria for depression were more likely to be taking regular mood stabiliser medications and to exhibit aggressive challenging behaviour. Participants meeting criteria for anxiety were more likely to have sleep difficulties and report loneliness. Participants meeting criteria for either/both depression and anxiety were more likely to report loneliness.
Conclusions
This study identified both treatable and modifiable, as well as unmodifiable, biopsychosocial factors associated with depression and/or anxiety in older adults with ID. A longitudinal study follow‐up will further develop our knowledge on the causality and direction of associated biopsychosocial factors with depression and anxiety in older adults with ID and better inform management strategies, prevention policies and funding of services.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | ageing; anxiety; depression; intellectual disability; mental health; |
| Academic Unit: | Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute Subject Areas > Science & Engineering > Assisting Living & Learning,ALL institute Faculty of Science & Engineering > Research Institutes > Human Health Institute Faculty of Science & Engineering > School of Nursing |
| Item ID: | 21642 |
| Identification Number: | 10.1111/jir.12724 |
| Depositing User: | Fintan Sheerin |
| Date Deposited: | 25 May 2026 16:12 |
| Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Intellectual Disability Research |
| Publisher: | Wiley |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Related URLs: | |
| Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
Downloads
Downloads per month over past year
Share and Export
Share and Export