Igone Etxeberria

Age differences among older adults in the use of emotion regulation strategies. What happens among over 85s and centenarians

Objective: Past research on emotion regulation strategies has concluded that older adults use more passive strategies than young adults. However, we found scarce research in this field focusing on the oldest old (i.e. those aged 85 and over). The aim of this study was to analyze whether or not differences exist in the way older adults aged 85 and over (centenarians included) use emotion regulation strategies, in comparison with younger age groups (65–74 and 75–84 years old). Method: Participants were 257 older adults from Spain, all aged between 65 and 104. The sample was divided into four age groups: 65–74; 75–84; 85–94; and 95–104 years old. Participants completed the Strategy Questionnaire after reading each of the vignettes designed to elicit feelings of either sadness or anger. The questionnaire measures four types of regulation strategies: Passive, Express, Solve and Seek. Results: The 85–94 age group and centenarians were found to use proactive (Express, Seek) and Solve strategies less in comparison with younger age groups when regulating sadness and anger. In contrast, an increased use of Passive strategies was observed in the regulation of both emotions in the 85–94 age group. Significant differences were also found between centenarians and younger age groups in the use of Passive strategies for sadness, although not for anger. Conclusion: Age differences were observed in the use of emotion regulation strategies, with older age groups using proactive strategies less and passive strategies more.

Profiles in emotional aging: does age matter?

ABSTRACT Objectives: The aim of this research project was to define emotional profiles in elderly people and to analyze the presence of each one in different age groups (from 65 to 74, 75 to 84, 85 to 94 and 95 to 104).Method: The sample group comprised 257 elderly people not suffering from cognitive impairment who were independent in the Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. The following emotional variables were analyzed: positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, loneliness, and regulation strategies.Results: Cluster analyses revealed three emotional profiles: ‘dissatisfied’ (elderly people with high levels of negative affect and loneliness who are unhappy with their lives and use problem solving to regulate their emotions), ‘happy’ (those with good levels of positive affect and life satisfaction, low levels of loneliness and negative affect and little use of passive strategies), and ‘resilient’ (those with low levels of positive and negative affect and medium levels of loneliness who are more or less satisfied with their lives and who use passive strategies to regulate their emotions). A relationship was observed between age and profile. Among the under 85s, the most common profile was ‘happy’, while among the over 85s, the most common profile was ‘resilient.’ The ‘happy’ profile was also observed in participants over the age of 85, although to a lesser extent. The prevalence of the ‘dissatisfied’ profile decreased with age.Conclusion: These results highlight the fact that although age seems to be a key factor in determining profile, individual differences should not be overlooked, even among the oldest old.

A randomized, placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of cognitive intervention on elderly people and on patient's with alzheimer's disease

Research on non-pharmacological therapies (cognitive rehabilitation) in old age has been very limited, and most has not considered the effect of intervention of this type over extended periods of time. The aim of Donostia Longitudinal Study was to investigate a new cognitive therapy in a randomized, placebo-controlled group of elderly people over 65 years of age without cognitive deterioration or expressed AAMI (Age Associated Memory Impairment) and patients with a Alzheimers Disease (AD). The efficacy of this therapy was evaluated by means of post-hoc analysis of 390 people using biomedical, neuropsy-chological, affective, and personality assessments. In the GDS 1-2 grouping, scores for learning potential and different types of memory for the treatment group improved significantly relative to the untreated controls. While, subjects with a GDS 3-4 showed significantly better performance on Neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI) scores in all domains (anxiety, depression, apathy, sleep disturbances). Finally subjects with a GDS 5-6, showed a maintenance of cognitive capacities. In the GDS 1-2 grouping, the most significant result found is that learning potential of trained people enhances within two years of intervention, this involves a successful ageing sign and plays a preventive role in dementia development. On the other hand, in the GDS 3-4 and GDS 5-6 grouping, the behavioral disturbances diminished within this intervention, so this type of training program could be beneficial on them.