A descriptive study was conducted to determine the level of self-esteem in elderly women in two different settings, the community and the nursing home, and if there was a difference in the level of self-esteem between the groups. The relationship between self-esteem and the intervening variables of loss, health, role fulfillment, social support, and control was examined. Thirty subjects, aged 69 to 92 years, participated in the study, 15 from the community and 15 from a nursing home. The questionnaire focused on demographic data, intervening variables scales, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to determine the level of self-esteem. The data revealed no significant difference of self-esteem between the two groups (p = 0.46). Community subjects showed a significant relationship between self-esteem and financial status (p = 0.001). Nursing home subjects showed significant relationships between self-esteem and age (p = 0.05), self-health (p = 0.004), compared health (p = 0.04), and control (p = 0.001).

Older adults are more vulnerable to the ill effects of life stress due to physiological changes associated with aging that result in decreased immunocompetence. Stressors interacting with an aging immune system may produce further declines in health. Variables shown to modulate the effect of stressors on neuroendocrine and immune function and health include social support, personality, coping style, and health locus of control. A comprehensive model is proposed that includes: life stressors, social resources, psychological resources, interaction between stressors and social resources, neuroendocrine and immune function, and symptomatology. This model was evaluated using structured equation modeling. Participants were 97 active, community dwelling, older women, ranging in age from 60 to 93 years.

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Ces trois etudes, basees sur un scheme d'apprentissage social, visaient le developpement d'instruments d'evaluation et d'intervention aupres de personnes agees vivant dans la communaute. / La premiere etude a demontre qu'une intervention aupres de gens lors de la pre-retraite peut contribue a l'augmentation des attentes d'efficacite de soi, particulierement en ce qui a trait a leur planification d'activites satisfaisantes. Cette recherche a aussi indique l'utilite d'avoir recours a des groupe de pairs comme modele pour promouvoir l'adaptation a la vie de retraite. / La seconde avait pour objet de comparer les attentes sociales de deux groupes de femmes (jeunes, agees) face aux consequences de l'affirmation de soi. Les femmes plus agees choisissaient moins souvent de s'affirmer car elles ne croyaient pas que ceci provoquerait chez les autres les comportements desires. Les plus jeunes etaient plus portes a s'attendre a une reaction negative de la part de leurs amis. Les deux groupes anticipaient une augmentation de leur egard-de-soi suite a la mise en action de comportements affirmatifs. / La troisieme etude utilisait un scheme a cas unique pour evaluer l'effet d'une intervention d'habiletes sociales sur six femmes agees. Il s'agissait de modifier les comportements-cibles individuels par le truchement de techniques behaviorales (tels que repetition, modelage et retroaction); de selectionner des objectifs specifiques a l'environnement natural de chaque sujet; et de faire de la restructuration cognitive. Les resultats obtenus indiquaient l'efficacite du traitement pour ameliorer et maintenir les comportements cibles chez tous les sujets et ce, pour toutes les mesures utilisees a divers intervalles de temps. Cette etude illustre egalement l'application d'une telle methodologie dans un milieu clinique.

Depression is believed to be the most prevalent mental dysfunction among older adults, and depression and anger are frequently linked in theory and in therapy. This study was undertaken to determine whether participation in group counseling sessions would increase awareness and expression of anger and decrease depression levels in women aged 65 and older. Treatment group members were compared to a matching control group. Both groups completed the Anger Self Report Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory. Comparison of the ASR subscale scores, Awareness of Anger, Expression of Anger, Guilt, Condemnation of Anger, and Mistrust, revealed no significant differences between the treatment and control groups. However, the treatment group scored significantly higher on the BDI than did the control group. Analysis of variance of the ASR and the BDI, and the variables upon which the treatment and control groups were matched revealed some significant differences, and comparison of the women in this study with the two groups upon whom the ASR was validated showed this study's older women scored significantly lower than the validation groups on the ASR. The author concluded that six sessions is not long enough to effect change in either anger awareness or expression in older women, and more time is needed to establish group cohesiveness in older populations than that generally thought to be needed for younger populations. Replication of the study with men and women, and replication of Khe study using a longitudinal design is recommended in order to determine whether awareness and expression of anger change with age, or whether differences between older and younger populations are due to historical and environmental influences.