DEPRESSION AND DIRECTED ATTENTIONAL FATIGUE IN OLDER WOMEN.
Contributors: University of Michigan.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 220
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Women's Studies.; Gerontology.; Psychology, Clinical.; Health Sciences, Human Development.; Psychology, Developmental.
Description: Depression is a major health problem among older women. The prevalence of major depressive disorders is about the same in elders compared with younger adults, however, the incidence of depressive symptoms is increased in the aged. Cognitive decrements, another potential health problem among older adults, and depression are often related. The mechanisms of the relationship between cognition and depression, however, are not well understood and require further elucidation to provide appropriate care.

This study was aimed at examining the relationship between directed attentional fatigue, and depression in older women. Additionally, whether there were changes in attentional function and/or depression following a restorative experience was examined. Finally, whether some older women labeled as depressed were attentionally fatigued was considered.

A pretest-posttest two group design was employed to examine research hypotheses related to directed attention, depression and restoration. Subjects were 57 elderly women living in urban communities in Southeastern Michigan. Most subjects lived in their own homes. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or non-intervention groups, and equal numbers of depressed women were randomly assigned to both groups. Intervention subjects received a restorative intervention for three weeks. The non-intervention subjects received no intervention. Data were collected both at the time subjects entered the study and three weeks later using self-administered questionnaires and structured interviews. Research hypotheses were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate and multivariate statistical computations.

Although few significant differences between the groups, or changes over time within the intervention group were demonstrated, important trends related to these study hypotheses were illustrated. Relationships between directed attention, and depression were found. In addition, changes over time in directed attention were accompanied by changes in depression levels for the total sample. Other findings of interest were demonstrated.

This study contributes to nursings' knowledge of the relationships between depression and attention in older women. Nursing can play a major role in teaching older women about restoration and in assessing attentional fatigue and depression. The effectiveness of restorative experiences in alleviating depression requires further study.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-03, Section: B, page: 1716.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, 1995.

School code: 0127.