Attempts to measure self concept in the elderly have been characterized by a variety of differing definitions of self concept, and differing methodological procedures. Previous investigations have used instruments which are stereotypic and not ecologically valid for elderly, test formats which make excessive demands on some elderly persons' cognitive and sensory-motor abilities, and administration procedures which penalize the less psychologically sophisticated older person, factors precluding adequate assessment of self concept in the elderly. In order to address the limitations of previous research, the present investigation developed and tested the Ecological Q-sort, a self concept instrument designed especially for use with the elderly. Items for the Ecological Q-sort were life situations which were ecologically representative and meaningful for older persons as self-defined by them. Two forms of the Ecological Q-sort were developed: the pictorial form consisting of pictorial representations of situations plus one sentence descriptions of situations; another form consisted of only one sentence written descriptions of situations.

No description available.

This dissertation reevaluates the controversial Disengagement Theory of aging introduced by Elaine Cumming and William E. Henry in their book, Growing Old (1961), with particular emphasis on aging in the city. Disengagement theory embodies the antithesis to the traditional activity theory of aging based on a work ethic. Disengagement theory holds that normal aging is an inevitable mutual withdrawal or disengagement between the aging person and others in the social system, that it is universal, and that, by impl ication,it is a mutually satisfying condition since it results in a new equilibrium between society and the aging individual. The theory proposes that withdrawal happens automatically in the aging person because of ego changes which are "programmed" into the human organism. Activity theory, on the contrary, claims that maintaining physical, mental, or social activity is a prerequisite to successful aging. It implies that a meaningful social role is necessary to selfesteem, and that, allowing for biological impairments, the psychological needs of older people are not much different from those of middle-aged persons. Since the United States population aged 65 and over has a net annual increase of over 300,000 people, the questions as to whether they tend to be engaged or disengaged, and whether they should be integrated in or separated from the rest of society, become very important. According to the 1970 Census, over sixty percent of persons sixty-five and over live in metropolitan areas. Therefore their housing, transportation, medical care, and other needs have to be considered in urban policies. In planning services for older people it is imperative to know what kind of services are needed, and hence engagement or disengagement becomes a crucial question. It is the assumption in this research that the city and its older population have an investment in one another, and that the city is interested in the welfare of its older citizens. Theoretically, the study was guided by the principles of symbolic interactionism. Several methods were used in the approach to the research problem because it is believed that what is known as a "triangulated" perspective can come closest to revealing the various aspects of empirical reality. Specifically, the methods employed were the social survey, the depth interview, participant observation, unobtrusive observation, and the case study and life history technique. This research has used especially Weber's method of Verstehen or empathic unders tandi rig. Three hypotheses guided the research: Hypothesis One: Disengagement is not an intrinsic or inevitable phenomenon. If it occurs, it can be traced to various causes other than aging per se, such as ill health, personal misfortunes (such as widowhood), or social pressures (such as forced retirement). Hypthesis Two: Older people do not enjoy a disengaged state. There is continuity in personality and life style, and if older people choose nonengagement, it is a continuation of former habits. Hypothesis Three: A livable urban environment is a determinant in the life satisfaction of the aged. These hypotheses were tested empirically, using both qualitative and quantitative data; and our hypotheses have been confirmed by prevalence and recurrence of expected patterns in the behavior of our samples. The use of the inductive method has given consistent results in that no instances of intrinsic disengagement were discovered. We have been able to show that other causal factors were responsible for relative nonengagement if it occurred. The dissertation also reports many suggestions which were received on how the urban environment could be improved and how the city could help older people lead better lives.

Two groups of older adults, retired teachers and low income housing elderly, exhibiting a diverse response to measures of life satisfaction and readiness for self-directed learning, were examined through twelve case studies in order to describe, generally and personally, the constructs of meaning for being old and the dynamics involved in defining and demonstrating successful aging and adaptation to the later years. The studies' findings included: (a) Health and functional status was a core construct that interacted significantly with satisfaction, engagement, coping, identity, and successful aging. (b) Ego integrity was found to be a process that included both developmental and transpersonal dimensions and to be dependent on ongoing coping and adaptation to late life change and loss. As such, it was concluded that successful aging rather than successful living was being described and demonstrated by the study sample. (c) Continuity of personal identity determined much of the subject's self concept and life style until a change in health and functional status forced an acknowledgement and integration of an age identity. (d) Four factors were found to define and demonstrate successful aging in the sample. / Ed. D.

The extent of cognitive deficit in depressed elderly remains unclear. Recent follow-up studies of elderly patients diagnosed as depressed suggest that depression may present as the initial sign of progressive dementia. This raises questions regarding the nature of the depression in those individuals who deteriorate cognitively over time, and encourages the search for clinical indicators of those depressed who are likely to deteriorate. Thirty-five depressed older adult outpatients were comprehensively examined and re-evaluated with a brief neuropsychological battery after one or more years. Twenty-three probable dementia of the Alzheimer's type patients (DAT) provided a comparison with a known progressive disorder. Patients with a decline of four points from their original score on a mental status examination comprised the "depressed with cognitive deterioration" sample (N = 8) and all others made up the "depressed without cognitive deterioration" sample (N = 27). These two samples were then compared on clinical variables from the initial neuropsychological, medical, radiological, and patient history examination. A Multivariate analysis of variance using the following variables: initial age, education, modified Hachinski, initial Mini-Mental State, Wechsler Memory Quotient, vocabulary, digit span, similarities, picture completion, block design, and digit symbol subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, initial Geriatric Depression Scale, and Grocery Store Test of verbal fluency failed to differentiate those depressed elderly that declined from those who did not. A series of Chi-square analyses using the medical and radiological variables demonstrated a significant association between depressed with deterioration and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities, computerized tomography (CT) abnormalities, and Electrocardiogram (EKG) abnormalities. Those depressed patients with cognitive deterioration demonstrated a higher frequency of white matter abnormalities on the combined CT and MRI than did those depressed patients with no deterioration. Leuko-araiosis in depressed elderly may represent a clinical marker for the identification of later cognitive deterioration. Results indicate: (1) a need for the development of more sensitive neuropsychological measures for accurate prediction of deterioration; (2) the importance of follow-up neuropsychological evaluations on depressed elderly; (3) relationship between white matter abnormality and cognitive deterioration in depressed elderly, and (4) support for the hypothesis that depression may present as an early sign of a later developing progressive dementia.

This study was designed to assess the appropriateness of current standardized checklists used to measure stressful life events in a noninstitutionalized population aged 65-74 years of age. Previous studies, sampling from a younger aged population, have demonstrated a temporal association between an increase in stressful life events and psychophysiological disease. Before stress can be studied as a precipitator of disease onset in the aged, it must be determined if the instruments designed to measure stress are reliable and valid for use with the aged. Specifically, the following questions were examined: (1) Reliability--Are the checklists reliable for use with this population? (2) Relevance--Are the checklists valid for use with this population? (3) Are these events considered to be stressful for this population? (4) Does the scoring system used influence the results? (5) Are the events included on the checklists events that occur in the lives of people aged 65-74? (6) Are there other events, not on the checklists, which are stressful for older people? The data base for this study consisted of responses from 185 subjects aged 65-74 years. Each respondent completed three standardized checklists designed to measure stressful life events and a demographic sheet which included provision for respondents to write any stressful event(s) that had occurred. Results were analyzed by subscale. As a result of this study it was determined that: (1) Reliability coefficients across subscales were not sufficiently large to warrant using these checklists with this aged population. (2) The three checklists were not valid for use with this aged population. (3) Respondents in this study perceived most events as being more stressful than did a younger age standardized group. (4) Standardized weights for the events should be assigned by people aged 65-74 years. (5) Stressful life events are different for people aged 65-74 years than for younger aged people. It was recommended that the checklists be revised for use with this age population. This revision includes modifying events on the checklist and having people aged 65-74 years assign standardized weights that reflect the stressfulness of the events.

No description available.

The need for the study arose with the discovery that many older adults make significant contributions in volunteer work. However some do not feel as though these contributions are worthwhile (Morrow-Howell & Mui, 1989; Chambre, 1987). They may feel that the work they are doing is meaningless (Morrow-Howell & Mui, 1989; Chambre, 1987; Flynn & Webb, 1975). The study was conducted to determine the relationship of individuals who perceived they were making a significant contribution in volunteer work and their level of subjective morale. The number of hours, length of time, number of various jobs, and the use of a volunteer's skills, knowledge, and talents devoted to volunteer service are specifically identified as they relate to subjective morale.A pilot study was conducted on the telephone using 10-12 volunteers from a random sample of retired Ball State employees. These individuals were asked open-ended questions concerning several aspects of volunteering. Once the data was collected a Liekert questionnaire was developed using the common patterns noted in the volunteer's answers. The Liekert questionnaire was distributed to 50 volunteers, recruited from the Muncie, Indiana andthe New Castle, Indiana RSVP (The Retired Senior Volunteer Program) branches. The volunteers completed the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale: A Revision (PGC) and the Volunteer Attitude Questionnaire (VAQ).The results indicated no statistically significant relationship between volunteers who perceived they were making a significant contribution and their level of subjective morale. Likewise, the data indicated no statistically significant relationship between subjective morale and number of hours, length time, number of various jobs, and use of skills, knowledge, and talents devoted to volunteer services. The volunteers in the study reported a wide variety of subjective morale levels regardless of the factors examined in the study. It is apparent that older volunteers who perceived they were significantly contributing do not all develop increased morale. Morale appears to be a very complex factor which is individually determined depending upon the lifestyle of the older adult. / Institute of Gerontology

The purpose of this Heideggerian hermeneutical study was to explore and uncover the hidden meaning of quality of life as experienced by a population of individuals 65 years of age and beyond. Five participants were interviewed and asked to describe quality of life as these individuals experienced it. Consistent with the method, purposive sampling was used in order to gain an understanding from subjects who have experienced the phenomenon and could articulate experiences. A group of retirees who meet monthly at a church were asked to participate. Interviews were audiotaped and the data was transcribed by this researcher. Audio tapes were destroyed when the study was completed. Transcribed data was shared with other researchers who are familiar with Heideggerian hermeneutics for the purpose of gaining insight into interpretation. When data was shared, names of participants and other identifying information was removed. Sharing of data for the purpose of interpretation is inherent in the Heideggerian method as described by Diekelmann, Allen and Tanner (1989). Participants were guaranteed confidentiality and were free to withdraw from the study without prejudice at any time. Data was analyzed in seven stages as described by Diekelmann, Allen and Tanner (1989). Findings included a constitutive pattern of quality of life and integrity as one experience. These two ways of being allowed the elderly to experience a sense of unity and completeness as well as a sense of fulfilling one's own destiny. The main theme supporting the constitutive patter was a strong belief and connectedness to a higher power. This faith allowed the elderly to connect to family, friends, church groups and memories. Anticipation of loss and change was a daily experience of being elderly, yet it allowed them to appreciate each day as it was lived without fear or loss of hope. Health promotion was significant because the elderly knew maintaining health was a way to maintain connectedness to that which was valued. The study was significant in contributing an understanding to the experience of quality of life in the elderly population. / School of Nursing

To explore the influence that variations in projective stimuli might have on the respondent's ability to identify with pictorial representations of hands derived from the Hand Test (Wagner, 1961, 1983), 61 young adults (M age = 23) and 60 older adults (M age = 73) were presented with four alternate versions of hand stimuli (young male, young female, old male, and old female) in addition to the original Hand Test. Results indicated main effects for age and gender of respondent, which were primarily consistent with previous Hand Test research. Main effects for gender and age of hand stimuli (p < .05) were also found. Significant interaction effects were revealed for age of respondent by age of hand stimuli and for age of respondent by gender of hand stimuli (p < .05). These interactions resulted in the elicitation of a variety of responses to a differentiated manner than a standard set of Hand Test stimuli. A gender of respondent by gender of hand stimuli interaction effect was also found (p &lt; .05), suggesting that gender alterations of the card may also be beneficial for increasing respondent identification for some individuals. Overall, the results of variations in Hand Test stimuli, as they interact with respondent personal characteristics, indicate the utility of alternate versions of the Hand Test. This is based on the assumption that the respondent will identify with the hand that best resembles his/her hands, resulting in the stimulus performing its projective function to a greater extent.