title: Do past experiences predict agitation in nursing home residents?
abstract: The relationships between the three syndromes of agitated behavior aggressive, physically nonaggressive, and verbally agitated) and three aspects of past personality (exposure to stress, history of a mental disorder, and leisure habits) were examined in 408 nursing home residents. Results showed that residents who had experienced the following stressful events during their lives-a life-threatening experience, separation from spouse, retirement, financial problems, and immigration-exhibited more physically nonaggressive behaviors (such as, pacing). Residents who had not experienced the stressful event of relocation manifested more aggressive (e.g., hitting) and physically nonaggressive behaviors. Neither history of a mental disorder nor past preferences for leisure activities were found to be related to agitated behaviors manifested by nursing home residents. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen-Mansfield
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Marx
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires