ABSTRACT
This study investigated the influence of predisposing factors (social support, help-seeking attitudes and help-seeking intentions) on older Australian adults' use of mental health services for depression and/or anxiety symptoms. Participants were 214 older Australian adults (61% female; aged between 60 and 96 years; M = 75.15 years, SD = 8.40 years) who completed a self-report questionnaire that measured predisposing factors and lifetime mental health service use for depression and/or anxiety symptoms. Higher levels of social support predicted non-use of mental health services. When this relationship was serially mediated by help-seeking attitudes and help-seeking intentions, it predicted mental health service use for depression and/or anxiety. Older adults are less likely to seek help for depression and/or anxiety symptoms unless members of their social support network encourage positive help-seeking attitudes, which lead to positive help-seeking intentions and the subsequent use of mental health services.
Subject(s)
Intention , Mental Health Services , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anxiety/therapy , Australia/epidemiology , Depression/epidemiology , Depression/psychology , Depression/therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Social SupportABSTRACT
AIM: To investigate the influence of perceived stress, optimism and perceived control of internal states on the psychological adjustment of older adults. METHOD: The sample consisted of 212 older adults, aged between 58 and 103 (M = 80.42 years, SD = 7.31 years), living primarily in retirement villages in Melbourne, Victoria. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Life Orientation Test-Revised, Perceived Control of Internal States Scale and the World Health Organisation Quality of Life-Bref. RESULTS: Optimism significantly mediated the relationship between older people's perceived stress and psychological health, and perceived control of internal states mediated the relationships among stress, optimism and psychological health. The variables explained 49% of the variance in older people's psychological adjustment. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that strategies to improve optimism and perceived control may improve the psychological adjustment of older people struggling to adapt to life's stressors.
