Paul Bourque

A Motivational Model of Leisure Participation in the Elderly

We developed a motivational model of leisure participation to examine the factors that may encourage involvement by the elderly in leisure activities. This model posits that opportunities and constraints determine motivation to participate, which in turn predicts satisfaction. Satisfaction is expected to lead to participation. In a study testing the proposed model, 102 elderly Canadians answered a questionnaire assessing the variables in the model. As predicted, results of a path analysis supported the proposed motivational model and accounted for 32% of the variance in the elderlys leisure participation. These results are discussed in the light of self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985).

Étude psychométrique de l'Échelle de dépression gériatrique

The object of the present research is to validate a French version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The version entitled “Echelle de depression geriatrique” (EDG) was administered to a sample of 643 elderly Francophones from the provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. The psychometric characteristics indicate that the EDG is a valid and reliable scale. The utility of the EDG as a screening measure for geriatric depression is discussed.

An investigation of various performance-based treatments with acrophobics

Abstract Five different performance-based treatments (participant modeling, participant modeling without therapist physical contact, modeling plus exposure, therapist-controlled exposure in vivo and rationale only) were compared to evaluate their relative effectiveness in the treatment of acrophobia. Ten subjects were assigned to each of the five groups. Avoidance behavior was assessed using a behavior test, self-report fear measures, heart-rate and self-efficacy expectation measures. Subjects were first submitted to two behavioral approach tests. These two pre-tests were administered 1 week apart, and no significant differences occurred between the evaluations. Analyses of variance for repeated measures at pre-test. post-test and follow-up revealed a significant improvement on all main outcome measures for the five groups. No significant differences among groups were observed. The total treatment time, which was also used as a dependent measure, did not yield any significant differences among treatment conditions. These findings have many implications. For instance, the need for induction aids, such as physical contact with the therapist and modeling, is questioned. Also, exposure per se whether therapist or self-controlled is shown to be effective in reducing avoidance behavior. Finally, the theoretical and clinical implications of these results are discussed.

Questionnaire de Dépression de Beck: Etude psychométrique auprès d'une population âgée francophone

Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory are questionable for elderly francophones. Consequently, the aim of this study is to assess the reliability and the validity of the French version of the BDI (Questionnaire de Depression de Beck: Bourque & Beaudette, 1982) for this group. Six hundred and forty-three French-speaking elders from Quebec and New-Brunswick answered the BDI. The reliability coefficients showed satisfactory internal consistency (.85), split-half reliability (.76) and test-retest correlation (.74). A principal-components analysis yielded three factors (somatic complaints, negative view of the self, and helplessness) accounting for 46.9 per cent of the total variance. The choice of an optimal cut-off score and the use of the BDI with the elderly are also discussed in this study.

Spousal Loss: Depression, Anxiety and Well-Being after Grief Periods of Varying Lengths

A total of 59 bereaved elderly persons and 20 married elderly persons were asked to complete a series of questionnaires on depression, anxiety and well-being. The bereaved elderly persons were divided into three groups based on the length of time elapsed since the death of the spouse. The results showed that bereaved subjects were more depressed and anxious and that their well-being was generally inferior to their married counterparts; further, their emotional reactions persisted after many months of mourning and finally some of the bereaved seemed more at risk than others. These issues should be examined more thoroughly using longitudinal studies.

PUBLIC POSTING IN THE CLASSROOM: COMPARISON OF POSTING NAMES AND CODED NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

In the present study, the effects of publicly posting names were compared with coded numbers in a classroom. Four third-grade classes of 63 boys and 54 girls whose mean age was 8.5 yr. participated. The weekly spelling test results monitored over 4 mo. show similar improvements under both public posting procedures. A similar pattern of results was found for students identified as having difficulty in spelling. The results are discussed in terms of ethical considerations when using public posting.

Self-report and behavioral measures in the assessment of assertive behavior

Abstract The relationships between self-report items and behavioral measures were investigated under various response classes of assertive behaviors. The total score from a subset of ten selected items from the Adult Self Expression Scale was used to identify 20 low and 20 high scorers. Each subject role-played 10 short situations which corresponded to the 10 selected items. The mean self-report score of this subset of items correlated significantly with the following measures: assertiveness content, general assertiveness, subjective anxiety and self-evaluation of performance. In addition, the preceding measures significantly correlated with individual self-report items from four response classes. By contrast, significant differences between items were found on the following behavioral measures: eye contact, length of response, assertiveness content and general assertiveness.

État de santé, consommation de médicaments et symptômes de la dépression chez les personnes âgées

The present study examines the relationships between health status, medication usage and depression in a community sample of elderly francophones. The results reveal that the use of non-psychotherapeutic medication is significantly greater by subjects who are physically impaired and those who are depressed. In addition, physically impaired subjects use significantly more psychotherapeutic medication than those in good health, whereas there is no difference between depressed and non-depressed subjects. The results also show that women use more psychotherapeutic medication than men. Thus, health status and depression both account for the increased use of non-psychotherapeutic medication in the elderly. In addition, the greater use of psychotherapeutic medication by the physically impaired and the lack of difference in the use of psychotherapeutic medication between depressed and non-depressed may point to possible over prescription for the elderly.

Les stratégies comportementales adoptées par les personnes âgées devant les sentiments dépressifs

In the present study, 50 French speaking elderly, living in a home for the aged, were asked to indicate situations which provoked depressive feelings and the strategies they used to cope with these situations. The results show marked differences between the depressed and the non-depressed elderly in the situations that provoke and/or maintain depressive feelings. In regard to the type of strategies reported to cope with depressive feelings, the results show that the depressed elderly not only reported employing fewer strategies, but also noted having less success in coping with these situations. The findings have implications for the clinical assessment and treatment of depression in the elderly.

L'aptitude à résoudre les problèmes interpersonnels chez les personnes âgées en fonction du niveau des sentiments dépressifs

In the present study, the interpersonal problem solving competency of nondepressed and depressed elderly were compared. The subject sample which consisted of 40 French speaking elderly were administered the Beck Depression Inventory and two subtests from the Means Ends Problem Solving Procedure. The results failed to reveal any marked differences between nondepressed and depressed elderly on the measures of Optional Thinking and Perception of Consequences. However, significant correlations were found between the interperpersonal problem solving competency measures and some of the demographic variables. Implications for future assessment of interpersonal problem solving competency in the elderly are discussed.