Depression, Anxiety and Locus of Control among Elderly with Dementia

The aging population has increased due to increasing longevity. Dementia, however, is one threat that has not received much attention particularly from the perspective of psychological well-being within this population. Thus, this study examined depression, anxiety, and locus of control in elderly suffering dementia. Instruments used were Geriatric Depression Scale to measure depression, Beck Anxiety Inventory for anxiety, and Rotter's Locus of Control Scale to measure locus of control. Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) was used to evaluate stages of dementia. One hundred elderly from various nursing homes participated in the study. Descriptive analysis of the CDR showed that 61% of the sample suffered very mild to mild dementia, 21% suffered moderate dementia, and 10% suffered severe dementia. Inferential analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between depression and anxiety. The results led to a conclusion that elderly suffering dementia experience depression. Also, the more depressed the elderly were, the higher their anxiety level.