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Purpose: It appears that spirituality, forgiveness, and self-esteem are important values which transcend human actions. This transversal study aims to observe spirituality, forgiveness, and self-esteem during aging. Methods: A quantitative protocol was conducted with 206 participants divided into two groups: younger adults (M = 23.05 years old) and older people (M = 73.09 years old). Three tests measured spirituality, forgiveness and self-esteem. Principal results: Results showed that older people have higher scores than younger adults in spirituality (peace dimension), forgiveness (transcendence and emotional factors) and self-esteem. Moreover, all dimensions of spirituality (peace, mean, faith) were correlated with the transcendence and emotional factors of forgiveness and with self-esteem during aging. Major conclusion: It seems that with age, individuals have a better self-esteem linked to more pronounced spiritual needs (sense of peace, meaning of life, faith) and manage to forgive more unconditionally with less resentment than younger people.

• Positive linear effect of age on depressive symptoms but without risk of depression. • The gender gap in depressive symptoms remains constant across age. • Decreased depressive symptoms and greater health status are associated. • Relationships between depressive symptoms and social support must be more studied. The aims of this study were to examine the trajectory of depressive symptoms among older French people, to investigate the role of gender in the developmental trajectory of depressive symptoms and to explore whether the linear increase in depressive symptoms might be accentuated or attenuated at time points during which the older adults' scores on social support and health satisfaction scales were higher than their individual averages. Data were used from a subsample of older adults living at home who participated in a longitudinal study initiated by researchers from the University of Tours. They were collected at five time points over a 9-year period (T1: 2003; T2: 2005; T3: 2007; T4: 2009; T5: 2011). This study included 707 participants, and multilevel growth curve analysis was used on measures of depressive symptoms, gender differences, social support and health satisfaction. Results indicated (1) a significant positive linear effect of age on depressive symptoms; (2) that women reported significantly higher scores of depressive symptoms than men at 63 years old (i.e., intercept) and that this gender difference remained constant across age; (3) that the slope of depressive symptoms appeared to increase at time points during which participants had higher levels of social support and to decrease when they had greater health satisfaction. This study provides pertinent information about the change of depressive symptoms in older people living at home and particularly highlights the interest in studying gender, social support and health satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]