Depression and old age identification.

Three hundred and eight Los Angeles elderly (means = 75.5 years) were selected from three settings to test empirically the relationship between psychological depression and feeling "old." Ss were administered the Symptom Checklist -90, an age identification item and several other measures of well-being. Results indicated that irrespective of age, persons who felt "older" were significantly more depressed and less healthy than their "younger" feeling counterparts. Multivariate level analysis further implicated personal meaning as a major correlate of depression. The clinical implications for working with depressed elders are discussed briefly.