Abstract
This study investigated among older Europeans how physical function limitations lead to depressive symptoms and reductions in quality of life and well-being, and vice-versa. Further examined was how years of education moderate these relationships. These objectives were pursued using a sample of Europeans aged 50+ years (N = 46,492) within waves 5 (2013) and 6 (2015) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The analyses employed conditional change multilevel mixed-effects linear regressions. Mental health was found to affect physical function limitations, and vice-versa. More education significantly reduced only how earlier mental health problems lead to later physical function limitations, plausibly because of the former's higher controllability. Thus highlighted are education-linked psychosocial resources' protective effects.