3.4.1. Depressive Symptoms
Depressive symptoms were measured using the GDS (Geriatrics Depression Scale; [61]). This questionnaire was chosen because it is a simple and reliable tool that allows the examination of depressive symptoms among older adults without requiring a professional interviewer. The instrument is composed of 15 items in a yes (1)/no (2) response format. The internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.80.