This study investigates the impact of self- and other-report cognitive competence, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviors on depression using a population sample from the archival data of the Clinical Assessment Scales of the Elderly (CASE).

Structural Equation Modeling was used to test predictions of the abovementioned variables. Participants were a matched self-and other-report subset (N=123) of the CASE standardization sample (N=2,000). Structural equation modeling was used to test predictions.

The results revealed that age does not predict self-report cognitive competence or other-report cognitive competence. A small covariance (0.42) was found between the errors of self-report cognitive competence and other-report cognitive competence. The data reports self-report depression mediates both self-report anxiety and self-report obsessive compulsive behaviors. Statistically significant large effects were found between self-report cognitive competence and all variables; self-report anxiety (0.72), self-report depression (0.62), and self-report obsessive compulsive behaviors (0.71). Moderate to large effects were found for other-report cognitive competence and all variables; other-report anxiety (.063), other-report depression (0.63), and other-report obsessive compulsive behaviors (0.35). The correlations between the anxiety and depression measures confirm the current literature regarding depression and anxiety.

In this study depression has been found to have a mediating effect on both anxiety and obsessive compulsive behaviors in an elderly sample. The inclusion of obsessive compulsive behaviors as a measure of anxiety in this model has empirically demonstrated the variability of the presentation of depression. Psychological self-report measures continue to be the best determinant of a patient's internal functioning. Research in the area of the presentation of depression in the elderly merits further investigation.