Gender Differences in Coping and Control with Memory Aging

ABSTRACT

This secondary analysis of data from a large study of memory perceptions among the elderly examined gender differences in control, coping, health, and metamemory and explored the influence of these factors on anxiety and depression in the elderly. Adults 55 years of age and older, 128 female and 41 males, were recruited from continuing education programs in two Southern states. Females were older than males and reported that their memories were better overall than males. There were no differences between the groups in depression, health, or memory control variables. Females had significantly greater state anxiety than males but no differences were seen in domain-specific memory anxiety or other metamemory domains. Females scored higher than males on help-seeking, existential growth, religiosity, and total coping strategies. In the two regression models the set of study variables predicted 79% of the variance in depression and 15% of the variance in memory anxiety. The addition of perceived health status to each model substantially changed each of their predictive values.