Modelling Depression Recovery Patterns of PHQ-9 Among Older Adults

Rebecca Ndukwe, University of Limerick

Co-authors: Marcia Scazufca, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo; Pepijn Van de Ven, University of Limerick

Abstract: Late-life depression is increasingly becoming a major global health concern, often undetected. This study models latent symptom trajectories and identifies distinct patterns of change in a sample of older adults. Using second-order latent growth modelling and cluster analysis, we observed a measurable overall improvement in symptom severity. However, individual trajectories revealed two distinct subgroups with differences in the rate and extent of the recovery journey. These findings highlight the importance of adopting trajectory-based profiling to inform personalized treatment care in ageing populations.