Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T02:17:06.298Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 1 - Introduction to Psychotherapy with Adults in Later Life

from Part 1 - Introduction to Psychotherapy in Later Life

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2020

By
Victor Gonzalez ,
Erica Garcia-Pittman ,
Anh-Thu Tran  and
Christine Dozier
Edited by
Rajesh R. Tampi ,
Brandon Yarns ,
Kristina F. Zdanys  and
Deena J. Tampi
Rajesh R. Tampi
Affiliation:
Case Western Reserve University, Ohio
Brandon Yarns
Affiliation:
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Kristina F. Zdanys
Affiliation:
University of Connecticut
Deena J. Tampi
Affiliation:
Diamond Healthcare Corporation
Get access

Summary

Psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for adults in later life with a wide variety of conditions. Simply defined, psychotherapy is the treatment of a mental disorder by psychological rather than medical means. Initial skepticism regarding the use of psychotherapy in older adults rapidly gave way as the quality of psychotherapeutic intervention improved and practitioners better understood and refined themes related to aging. From the 1980s onward, the evidence base for psychotherapy in older adults has continued to grow. Today, theory and evidence show that psychotherapy is indeed an effective treatment for a variety of conditions in older adults. In this chapter, we will review the history of psychotherapy in older adults, provide an overview of the recent evidence supporting its use, outline special issues in conducting psychotherapy with older adults, and introduce the remaining chapters of the book.

Type
Chapter
Information
Psychotherapy in Later Life , pp. 1 - 8
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Garner, J. Psychotherapies and older adults. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2003;37:537.Google Scholar
Freud, S. Selected papers on hysteria and other psychoneuroses. 1912. Retrieved from: www.bartleby.com/280/8.html (November 30, 2018).Google Scholar
Freud, S. General psychological theory: papers on metapsychology. New York: Touchstone; 1997.Google Scholar
Jung, CG. Structure and dynamics of the psyche. Adler, G, Hull RFC, , editors. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press; 1970. (Collected Works of C.G. Jung; vol 8).Google Scholar
Evans, S, Garner, J. Talking over the years: a handbook of dynamic psychotherapy with older adults. New York: Brunner-Routledge; 2004.Google Scholar
Erikson, E. Identity and the life cycle. Revised ed. New York: W. W. Norton; 1994.Google Scholar
Colarusso, GA, Nemiroff, RA. Adult development: a new dimension in psychodynamic theory and practice. New York: Plenum; 1981.Google Scholar
Hildebrand, HP. Psychotherapy with older patients. Br J Med Psychol. 1982;55:19–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yang, JA, Jackson, CL. Overcoming obstacles in providing mental health treatment to older adults: getting in the door. Psychotherapy. 1998;35(4):498–505.Google Scholar
Rybarczyk, B, Gallagher-Thompson, D, Rodman, J, et al. Applying cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy to the chronically ill elderly: treatment issues and case illustration. Int Psychogeriatr. 1992;4(1):127–140.Google Scholar
NIH Consensus Development Conference. Diagnosis and treatment of depression in late life: November 4–6, 1991. NIH Consens State Sci Statements. 1991;9(3):1–27.Google Scholar
Mackin, RS, Areán, PA. Evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions for geriatric depression. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2005;28(4):805–820.Google Scholar
Pinquart, M, Sörensen, S. How effective are psychotherapeutic and other psychosocial interventions with older adults? A meta-analysis. J Ment Health Aging. 2001;7(2):207–243.Google Scholar
Gatz, M. Commentary on evidence-based psychological treatments for older adults. Psychol Aging. 2007;22(1):52–55.Google Scholar
Wilson, K, Mottram, PG, Vassilas, C. Psychotherapeutic treatments for older depressed people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;1:CD004853.Google Scholar
Huang, AX, Delucchi, K, Dunn, LB, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychotherapy for late-life depression. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2015;23(3):261–273.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pinquart, M, Duberstein, PR, Lyness, JM. Treatments for later-life depressive conditions: a meta-analytic comparison of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(9):1493–1501.Google Scholar
Wei, W, Sambamoorthi, U, Olfson, M, et al. Use of psychotherapy for depression in older adults. Am J Psychiatry. 2005;162(4):711–717.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wetherell, JL, Lenze, EJ, Stanley, MA. Evidence-based treatment of geriatric anxiety disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2005;28(4):871–896.Google Scholar
Ayers, CR, Sorrell, JT, Thorp, SR, et al. Evidence-based psychological treatments for late-life anxiety. Psychol Aging. 2007;22(1):8–17.Google Scholar
Van Citters, AD, Pratt, SI, Bartels, SJ, et al. Evidence-based review of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments of older adults with schizophrenia. Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2005;28(4):913–939.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Berry, K, Barrowclough, C. The needs of older adults with schizophrenia: implications for psychological interventions. Clin Psychol Rev. 2009;29(1):68–76.Google Scholar
McCurry, SM, Logsdon, RG, Teri, L, et al. Evidence-based psychological treatments for insomnia in older adults. Psychol Aging. 2007;22(1):18–27.Google Scholar
Gum, AM, Areán, PA, Hunkeler, E, et al. Depression treatment preferences in older primary care patients. Gerontologist. 2006;46(1):14–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knight, B. Psychotherapy and older adults: resource guide. 2009. Retrieved from: www.apa.org/pi/aging/resources/guides/psychotherapy.aspx (November 10, 2018).Google Scholar
Levkoff, SE, Chen, H, Coakley, E, et al. Design and sample characteristics of the PRISM-E multisite randomized trial to improve behavioral health care for the elderly. J Aging Health. 2004;16(1):3–27.Google Scholar
Unützer, J, Katon, W, Callahan, CM, et al. Collaborative care management of late-life depression in the primary care setting: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2002;288(22):2836–2845.Google Scholar
Alexopoulos, GS, Reynolds, CF, Bruce, ML, et al. Reducing suicidal ideation and depression in older primary care patients: 24-month outcomes of the PROSPECT study. Am J Psychiatry. 2009;166(8):882–890.Google Scholar
Dietrich, AJ, Oxman, TE, Williams, JW, et al. Re-engineering systems for the treatment of depression in primary care: cluster randomized controlled trial. Br Med J. 2004;329:602–605.Google Scholar
Kominski, G, Andersen, R, Bastani, R, et al. UPBEAT: the impact of a psychogeriatric intervention in VA medical centers. Med Care. 2001;39(5):500–512.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knight, BG. Unique aspects of psychotherapy with older adults. In: Qualls, S, Knight, B, editors. Psychotherapy for depression in older adults. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2006. p. 3–28.Google Scholar
Zarit, SH, Knight, BG. Psychotherapy and aging: multiple strategies, positive outcomes. In: Zarit, S, Knight, B, editors. A guide to psychotherapy and aging: effective clinical interventions in a late-stage context. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 1996. p. 1–13.Google Scholar
Bartels, SJ, Coakley, EH, Zubritsky, C, et al. Improving access to geriatric mental health services: a randomized trial comparing treatment engagement with integrated versus enhanced referral care for depression, anxiety, and at-risk alcohol use. Am J Psychiatry. 2004;161(8):1455–1462.Google Scholar
Schaie, KW. Intellectual development in adulthood. In: Birren, J, Schaie, K, editors. Handbook of the psychology of aging. 4th ed. San Diego, CA; 1996. p. 266–286.Google Scholar
Supiano, KP, Luptak, M. Complicated grief in older adults: a randomized controlled trial of complicated grief group therapy. Gerontologist. 2013;54(5):840–856.Google Scholar
Choi, NG, Ransom, S, Wyllie, RJ. Depression in older nursing home residents: the influence of nursing home environmental stressors, coping, and acceptance of group and individual therapy. Aging Ment Health. 2008;12(5):536–547.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×