Social engagement in late life may attenuate the burden of depressive symptoms due to financial strain in childhood

•Childhood financial strain contributes to depressive symptoms in late-life.•The effect of childhood financial strain on depressive symptoms is confined to level influences only.•Active social life may limit the detrimental consequences of childhood deprivation for depressive symptoms. It remains poorly understood if childhood financial strain is associated with old-age depression and if active social life may mitigate this relationship. To investigate the association between childhood financial strain and depressive symptoms during aging; to examine whether late-life social engagement modifies this association. 2884 dementia-free individuals (aged 60+) from the Swedish National study of Aging and Care-Kungsholmen were clinically examined over a 15-year follow-up. Presence of childhood financial strain was ascertained at baseline. Depressive symptoms were repeatedly assessed with the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Social engagement comprised information on baseline social network and leisure activities. Linear, logistic and mixed-effect models estimated baseline and longitudinal associations accounting for sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors. Childhood financial strain was independently associated with a higher baseline level of depressive symptoms (β = 0.37, 95%CI 0.10–0.65), but not with symptom change over time. Relative to those without financial strain and with active social engagement, depressive burden was increased in those without financial strain but with inactive social engagement (β = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.15–0.71), and in those with both financial strain and inactive engagement (β = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.59–1.40). Individuals with financial strain and active social engagement exhibited similar depressive burden as those without financial strain and with active social engagement. Recall bias and reverse causality may affect study results, although sensitivity analyses suggest their limited effect. Early-life financial strain may be of lasting importance for old-age depressive symptoms. Active social engagement in late-life may mitigate this association.