There was an evidence for the correlation between social capital and depression in older Chinese and Korean immigrant population. It suggests the needs to develop social programs and service in order to build more social capital for older immigrants.

Older adults with functional limitations may be at higher risk for depression and suicidal ideation compared to their counterparts without such limits. This study examined the structural relationships between functional limitation, depression, suicidal ideation, and coping strategies in older Korean immigrants. Using data from 220 community dwelling Korean immigrants (age ≧ 65) in Los Angeles County, path analysis was conducted to test the study hypotheses. The resulting model accounted for 56% of the variance in suicidal ideation, with functional limitation making significant contribution to suicidal ideation. Meanwhile, depression, which had the strongest direct effects on suicidal ideation, also played a significant role in mediating between functional limitation and suicidal ideation. Furthermore, adaptive coping was significantly associated with both functional limitation and suicidal ideation. Findings provide implications for implementing suicide-prevention programs for older Korean immigrants, especially those living with functional disability.

The present study examined the effects of cognitive impairment and functional limitation on depressive symptoms among older Korean American immigrants. The sample was drawn from a cross-sectional survey of 210 older Korean immigrants (aged 65 years or older) in Los Angeles County. Based on robust hierarchical regression, the study found that cognitive ability and functional status were significant explanatory factors related to depressive symptoms among older Korean immigrants. In addition, the interaction of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and cognitive function (MMSE) had a significant effect on depressive symptoms. This finding suggests that older Korean immigrants in the U.S. who experience deficits in cognitive function and/or IADL performance are vulnerable to psychological distress as indicated by depressive symptoms. Recommendations include implementing culturally-responsive health interventions aimed at enabling accessibility to dementia care services and supporting improvement of IADL performance among older Korean American immigrants.

The theoretical implications as well as the practical implications for developing and implementing late-life suicide prevention strategies are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of computer/internet game play on depression and life satisfaction via perceived self-control among older adults in Korea. Data were collected from a survey of 237 community-dwelling older adults (age≧65) who reported internet users. A path analysis was used to examine the causal relationship among the main constructs. Results showed that the computer/internet game play had positive effects on perceived self-control. Perceived self-control was found to decrease depression and improve life satisfaction among older adults. Additional analysis indicated that the computer/internet game play in older adults did not directly affect mental health (depression and life satisfaction) but indirectly affected it via perceived self-control. Furthermore, perceived self-control had greater effects on depression than on life satisfaction. These findings have crucial implications in that perceived sense of self-control needs to be seriously considered when we develop mental health games for older adults.■ keyword :|Computer/Internet Game|Perceived Self-Control|Depression|Life Satisfaction|Elderly|