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Abstract
The present study sought to investigate the relationships between depressive symptomatology in the elderly and (a) the interpersonal problem-solving cognitive ability and (b) the strength and the frequency of the occurrence of pleasant and unpleasant events and activities. Three hundred and ten (310) semi-institutionalized older adults living in homes for the aged answered the Depressive Symptomatology Questionnaire, the Means-Ends Problem-Solving Procedure, the Pleasant and the Unpleasant Events Schedules for Older Adults. Regression analysis indicated that collectively these three cognitive and behavioral variables accounted for about 50% of the variance in predicting depressive symptoms. More specifically, the results revealed that the more depressed an older adult (a) the lower the effectiveness of interpersonal problem-solving, (b) the lower the frequency, the subjective enjoyability and the obtained reinforcement of the pleasant events and (c) the higher the frequency, the subjective aversiveness and the experienced aversion of unpleasant events. Furthermore according to the results depressive symptoms were not related to age and to length of institutionalization. However, they were significantly associated with health problems. Implications for counseling are discussed.
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Notes on contributors
George Kleftaras
Jennifer R. Johnson was a graduate student in the School of Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX at the time of this study. She is currently employed as an Occupational Therapist at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, LA
Debra Stewart is Lecturer, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University and staff therapist at Erinoak Centre, Missis-sauga, Ontario. She is currently completing a MSc (Design, Measurement and Evaluation) at McMaster University.
Ronald L. Mace (deceased, June 29, 1998) was also affiliated with The Center for Universal Design, School of Design, North Carolina University.
Lois Rosage and Geraldine Shaw are Occupational Therapist Consultants who provide evaluations for the housing programs at the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.