Psychological Characteristics of Elderly Visited to the Department of Psychiatry : Focused on the Cluster Analysis of The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze psychological characteristics of elderly patients. METHODS: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) data of 110 elderly patients who visited the department of psychiatry was analyzed. We examined differences of MMPI-2 score according to sex and age. The elderly were classified into four clusters with similar characteristics. RESULTS: Depression, suicidal ideation, low motivation score was high in total sample. Depression, subjective depression, mental dullness, lassitude-malaise, psychasthenia, and fears score was higher among females than males. Through the cluster analysis, elderly were classified into four types of ‘high profile’, ‘1-2-7 profile’, ‘6-7-8-0 profile’, and ‘low profile’. CONCLUSION: The elderly patients who visited the department of psychiatry complain depression and helplessness. Females complained depression and anxiety more than males. Elderly were classified into four types of patients with high somatic complaints ‘high profile’, patients with high depression and helplessness ‘1-2-7 profile’, patients who were dissatisfied and could blame others ‘6-7-8-0 profile’, and patients who needed additional interview and projective test ‘low profile’.