Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40682013›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2025

Social support and depressive symptoms in older adults receiving hospice care: the mediating role of developmental task attainment.

Magdalena Zadworna

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author.

Magdalena ZadwornaInstitute of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Lodz, Al. Rodziny Scheiblerów 2 90-128, Lodz, Poland. magdalena.zadworna@now.uni.lodz.pl.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0585-019X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecognizing and addressing depressive symptoms among palliative care patients is essential, given their impact on quality of life, connections to increased physical symptoms, and links with heightened mortality risk. The current study aimed to identify the relationships between social support, developmental task attainment, and depressive symptoms in older hospice patients.

methodsThe study included 120 Polish older patients aged 60-87 years receiving home palliative care. Respondents completed the Geriatric Depression Scale, the Developmental Tasks Questionnaire for Seniors, the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale, and a sociodemographic survey.

resultsThe overall level of perceived social support and all its dimensions were negatively associated with depressive symptoms in older hospice patients. Effective handling of developmental tasks typical of old age emerged as a stronger protective factor against depressive symptoms. Moreover, developmental task attainment partially mediated the relationships between perceived social support and depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: A high level of social support combined with the effective accomplishment of developmental challenges typical of late life may prevent depressive symptoms in older hospice patients. The findings have valuable implications for psychological interventions in palliative care.

Indexed as

DepressionHospice CareSocial SupportAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPolandPsychometricsQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesDepressionDevelopmental tasksHospiceOlder adultsPalliative carePerceived social support

Identifiers

PMID40682013
PMCPMC12275376

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.