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Cognitive Versus Social Rigidity in Old Age: Implications for Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Doris Christoph  and
Anita K.F. Li
Doris Christoph
Affiliation:
Holy Cross Hospital, Calgary
Anita K.F. Li
Affiliation:
University of Calgary
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Abstract

The present study examined the interrelationships among cognitive and social rigidity, intelligence and personal adjustment in old age, and evaluated a six-week training program teaching social problem-solving skills to the elderly. Ninety-eight subjects, aged 60.9 to 88.0 years, were randomly assigned to the treatment, placebo control, and the waiting-list groups. Subjects were pretested on the TBR Opposites test (cognitive rigidity), the social MEPS (social rigidity), WAIS Vocabulary, and Adjustment of Old Age scales; and post-tested on social rigidity and adjustment The hypothesis that cognitive rigidity is independent of social rigidity was not fully supported. Adjustment to old age was found to be significantly related to social rigidity and, to a lesser degree, to cognitive rigidity. Only treatment subjects showed an overall, significant pre- to post-training improvement on social MEPS scores. The findings suggest that social rigidity is amenable to change.

Résumé

La présente étude porte sur les rapports entre la rigidité cognitive et sociale, l'intelligence et l'adaptation personnelle au cours de la vieillesse, ainsi que sur l'évaluation d'un programme de formation d'une durée de six semaines conçu en vue d'enseìgner aux personnes àgées à résoudre les problèmes d'ordre social. Quatre-vingt-dix-huit sujets, âgés de 60,9 à 88,0 ans, ont été répartis en trois groupes, soit groupe de traitement, groupe témoin et liste d'attente. Les pré-tests suivants ont été administrés: TBR Opposites Test (rigidité cognitive), MEPS social (rigidité sociale), WAIS Vocabulary (test de vocabulaire), et Adjustment of Old Age (échelles d'adaptation à la vieillesse); les post-tests comprenaient la mesure de rigidité sociale et l'adaptation. L'hypothèse selon laquelle la rigidité cognitive est indépendante de la rigidité sociale n'a pas été entièrement appuyée. L'adaptation à la vieillesse s'est avérée reliée de façon significative à la rigidité sociale et, à un moindre degré, à la rigidité cognitive. Seuls les sujets compris dans le groupe de traitement font preuve d'amélioration au test MEPS. Les résultats permettent de croire que la rigidité sociale est susceptible de modification.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , June 1985 , pp. 59 - 65
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1985

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References

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