Functional disability and depressive symptoms among centenarians in Nanjing, China: the mediating role of leisure activities and attitudes toward aging

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the association between functional disability and depressive symptoms among Chinese centenarians, and the mediating role of leisure activities and attitudes toward aging in this association. METHODS: The data were obtained from a cross-sectional household survey of 185 centenarians in Nanjing. We used Ordinary least squares (OLS) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the associations between functional disability, leisure activities, attitudes toward aging, and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Functional disability was positively associated with depressive symptoms (b = 0.24, p < 0.001). Both leisure activities (34.2%) and attitudes toward aging (82.3%) partially mediated the association between functional disability and depressive symptoms among centenarians. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that engaging in leisure activities and fostering a positive attitude toward aging may help very old adults maintain their mental well-being, despite declines in physical functioning.