Social conditions and distress in elderly persons: Findings from the MacArthur studies of successful aging

The purpose of this study was to determine separate and joint associations of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) with psychological distres s among older high-functioning adults and to examine 2 psychosocial resourc es that may explain these associations. Participants were 70-79-year-old in dividuals (n = 1,189) participating in the MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging program, a 3-site study of community-dwelling men and women. Particip ants represented the top third of their peers in terms of functional abilit y in 1988. Additive and interactive models were used to examine cross-secti onal associations among race/ethnicity, SES, and distress. Although decreas es in distress generally occur with aging, findings suggest that social str uctural factors can influence distress el en among elderly people. Blacks n ;ere less distressed than Whites when SES was controlled. There was a gradi ent between education and distress among Whites but not among Blacks. Measu res of social support and control did not mediate effects of race/ethnicity on distress. These results differ from those of previous studies and indic ate that age and functional status should he considered in examinations of relationships among race/ethnicity, SES, and distress.