Test Your Knowledge on Social Support and Depression After Limb Loss

Social Support Moderates Depression after Amputation

• Lower ADL function and lower social support increase the risk of depression symptoms post-amputation.
• Perceived social support is a modifiable target of intervention for individuals with lower levels of functioning.
• Social support has been linked to decreased incidence of morbidity, mortality, and depression in the general population.
• Individuals with limb loss face various psychosocial challenges, including unemployment.
• Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to examine the moderating effect of perceived social support on the relationship between baseline ADL functioning and depressive symptoms at 12 months.
• Pearson correlations and ANOVAs were used to examine potential relationships between sociodemographic variables and the primary outcome variable.
• Participants completed assessments at 6 weeks and 12 months post-amputation using the PHQ-9, LCI-5, MSSS-5, and GARS.
• Of the 87 participants enrolled in the study, 73 (84%) had complete study data at both 6 weeks and 12 months following amputation and were included in the current analyses.
• Findings suggest that social support served as a protective factor against depressive symptoms 12 months after amputation among patients with poor ADL functioning.
• Poor social support and limited ADL functioning may serve as unique but interdependent barriers to participating in meaningful and rewarding activities.
• The use of retrospective recall to assess baseline levels of ADL function and perceived social support is a significant limitation.
• Establishing modifiable targets of intervention is essential for successful programmatic efforts to promote adjustment following limb loss, and social support may be one such component that is responsive to intervention.

How does social support affect depression after amputation? Test your knowledge on the latest research findings regarding the relationship between social support, activities of daily living (ADL) functioning, and depression symptoms post-amputation. Discover the role of perceived social support in mitigating depression risk and explore potential interventions to promote adjustment following limb loss. Take this quiz and learn more about the psychosocial challenges faced by individuals with limb loss.