Assessment of Coping in Cognitively Impaired Older Adults

Abstract

This pilot study examined dispositional coping styles and distress among cognitively impaired older adults (n =28), anxious/depressed older adults (n =42) and non-distressed older adults (n =25). Participants completed the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced Scale (COPE) and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Internal consistency analyses showed that the COPE was reliably completed by the cognitively impaired participants, with one internally poor subscale. Regarding coping clusters (problem focused, emotional focused, dysfunctional), cognitively impaired older adults reported lower levels of problem focused coping and emotional focused coping techniques than anxious/depressed and control participants. Regarding specific coping scales, cognitively impaired participants were lower on positive reinterpretation and higher on behavioral disengagement than the other groups. Among cognitively impaired persons, the coping strategy of venting emotions was positively correlated with distress, whereas the strategy of accepting the situation was negatively related to distress. An implication of the study is that an assessment of coping may be useful in the early Stages of cognitive impairment.

Key Words:

• Cognitive impairment
• coping
• distress
• dementia
• intervention