EFFECTS OF LOSS OF MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND LOSS OF CONTROL OVER DECISION-MAKING ON DEPRESSION AND TRANSIENT CONFUSION IN THE INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY.
Contributors: New York University.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 107
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.
Description: This study investigated the effects of loss of meaningful relationships, and loss of control over decision making on depression, and the effect of depression on transient confusion in the institutionalized elderly.

The proposition that loss of meaningful relationships and loss of control over decision making would have a direct positive effect on depression, and that depression would have a direct positive effect on transient confusion in the institutionalized elderly was derived from Seligman's model of learned helplessness and Beck's cognitive model of depression. These propositions led to the formulation and testing of the following hypotheses: (1) There will be a direct positive effect of depression on transient confusion in the institutionalized elderly. (2) There will be a direct positive effect of loss of meaningful relationships and loss of control over decision making on depression, and through depression an indirect positive effect on transient confusion in the institutionalized elderly.

A sample of 100 elderly patients currently living in three nursing homes in middle Tennessee participated in the study. Patients ranged in age from 65 to 95 and were primarily women (76%). Their length of stay in the nursing homes ranged from 1 month to 1 year, all had chronic health problems, but none were acutely ill at the time of the study. The hypotheses were tested using path analysis techniques.

The findings of the path analysis for the first hypothesis indicate that the effect of depression on confusion was statistically significant (p $<$.001) and supported the direction of the hypothesis. The findings of the path analysis for the second hypothesis indicate that the effect of loss of meaningful relationships and loss of control over to decision making on depression was statistically significant (p $<$.001) and supported the direction of the hypothesis.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-05, Section: B, page: 1853.

Thesis (PH.D.)--NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, 1988.

School code: 0146.