Assessment of Coping in Cognitively Impaired Older Adults: A Preliminary Study

This pilot study examined dispositional coping styles and distress among cognitively impaired older adults (n = 28), anxious/depressed older adults (n = 42) and non-distressed older adults (n = 25). Participants completed the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced Scale (COPE) and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Internal consistency analyses showed that the COPE was reliably completed by the cognitively impaired participants, with one internally poor subscale. Regarding coping clusters (problem focused, emotional focused, dysfunctional), cognitively impaired older adults reported lower levels of problem focused coping and emotional focused coping techniques than anxious/depressed and control participants. Regarding specific coping scales, cognitively impaired participants were lower on positive reinterpretation and higher on behavioral disengagement than the other groups. Among cognitively impaired persons, the coping strategy of venting emotions was positively correlated with distress, whereas the strategy of accepting the situation was negatively related to distress. An implication Birgit M. Fisher, Daniel L. Segal, and Frederick L. Coolidge are affiliated with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Corresponding author: Daniel L. Segal, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, P.O. Box 7150, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150 (E-mail: [email protected]). Clinical Gerontologist, Vol. 26(3/4) 2003 http://www.haworthpress.com/store/product.asp?sku=J018  2003 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 10.1300/J018v26n03_02 3 of the study is that an assessment of coping may be useful in the early stages of cognitive impairment. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: Website: © 2003 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]