title: Effect of depression on actual and perceived effects of reading rehabilitation for people with central vision loss.
abstract: To investigate the relationship between depression and quantitative measures of visual function, we recruited 18 subjects with central scotomas from macular degeneration who were enrolled in a reading rehabilitation program. Psychological batteries and reading assessments were administered prior to rehabilitation; reading assessments and a measure of adaptation to vision loss were administered following rehabilitation. We investigated relationships between reported levels of depressive symptoms and reading and adaptation outcome measures by using Pearson product moment correlation analysis. Results revealed a significant relationship between depression levels and reading acuity difference scores (r(16) = 0.54, p = 0.02) and changes in adaptation to vision loss levels (r(16) = 0.62, p = 0.01), suggesting that those who reported greater depressive symptoms did not respond as well functionally to reading rehabilitation but reported greater improvement in levels of adaptation to vision loss following rehabilitation. Future research should focus on defining standard methods to assess and remediate depression as part of the rehabilitation process.
authors.affiliation: The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, Low Vision Research Laboratory, 1850 W. Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60616, USA. patricia.grant@chicagolighthouse.org
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Seiple
authors.forename: Janet P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Szlyk
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011932:Reading; D012607:Scotoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014787:Vision Tests; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*