Hopelessness Among Later-Life Patients

Abstract

We address three issues: the relationship of hopelessness to depression and general behavior, the relative contribution of hopelessness to known hospital variables in treatment with respect to behavior and suicidal factors, and the influence of high-and low-level hopelessness on depression variables, behavior, and suicidal factors. Fifty psychiatric inpatients were individually administered the Beck Depression Inventory, the Geriatric Hopelessness Scale (GHS), and the Geriatric Depression Scale and were rated on key behavioral indexes by the MACC Behavior Adjustment Scale. Suicide ideation and past suicidal behavior were evaluated in an interview and by a record check. Results show that hopelessness is related to depression, especially the psychological components of depression and behavior. Hopelessness also adds to routine hospital information for total behavior, especially cooperation and social contact. Finally, high- and low-level hopelessness patients differ on psychological depression and behavior but not on suicidal indexes. The GHS is considered an instrument suitable for use with psychiatric patients.

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