title: Locus of control and coping strategies in older persons with and without depression.
abstract: To compare locus of control and coping strategies in older persons with and without depression.
  
  
  
  This cross-sectional study included 144 depressed in-patients from seven psychogeriatric hospital units, and 106 community-dwelling older persons without depression. All participants were 60 years and older. Locus of control was assessed by a 17-items self-report questionnaire with six response categories. Coping strategies were assessed by a 26-items self-report questionnaire with five response categories. For analytical purposes, age (<75 years vs. ≥75 years), level of education (<10 years vs. ≥10 years) and general medical health (poor vs. not poor) were categorized.
  
  
  
  In linear regression analysis, controlling for demographics, health, and social variables, the depressed in-patients showed a higher external locus of control orientation and a less frequent use of problem-focused coping strategies compared with the non-depressed group. No differences in use of emotion-focused strategies were found between the two groups.
  
  
  
  Compared with the non-depressed old persons, the depressed hospitalized older persons were characterized by perceptions of less personal control, and less use of problem-focused strategies, what also might have brought positive alterations into their situation.
authors.affiliation: a Ageing and Health, Norwegian Centre for Research, Education and Service Development , Vestfold Hospital Trust , Tønsberg , Norway.|b Department for Mental Health Research and Development, Division for Mental health and Addiction , Vestre Viken Hospital Trust , Lier , Norway.|c Faculty of Medicine , University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
authors.forename: Guro Hanevold
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bjørkløf
authors.affiliation: a Ageing and Health, Norwegian Centre for Research, Education and Service Development , Vestfold Hospital Trust , Tønsberg , Norway.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engedal
authors.affiliation: a Ageing and Health, Norwegian Centre for Research, Education and Service Development , Vestfold Hospital Trust , Tønsberg , Norway.|d Research Center of Old Age Psychiatry , Innlandet Hospital Trust , Ottestad , Norway.|e Akershus University Hospital , Lørenskog , Norway.
authors.forename: Geir
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Selbæk
authors.affiliation: f National School of Public Health, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP-FIOCRUZ) , Rio , Brazil.
authors.forename: Deborah Bezerra
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.affiliation: f National School of Public Health, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (ENSP-FIOCRUZ) , Rio , Brazil.
authors.forename: Evandro Silvia Freire
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: a Ageing and Health, Norwegian Centre for Research, Education and Service Development , Vestfold Hospital Trust , Tønsberg , Norway.|g Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine , Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) , Trondheim , Norway.|h St Olav's University Hospital , Trondheim , Norway.
authors.forename: Anne-Sofie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Helvik
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report
keywords: coping strategies; depression; locus of control; older persons