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Relation between premorbid personality and patterns of emotion expression in mid‐ to late‐stage dementia
Author(s) -
Magai Carol,
Cohen Carl I.,
Culver Clayton,
Gomberg David,
Malatesta Chris
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1166(199711)12:11<1092::aid-gps690>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - hostility , personality , psychology , dementia , affect (linguistics) , expressed emotion , clinical psychology , emotional expression , developmental psychology , facial expression , disease , medicine , social psychology , communication
Twenty‐seven nursing home patients with mid‐ to late‐stage dementia participated in a study of the relation between preillness personality, as indexed by attachment and emotion regulation style, and current emotional behavior. Preillness measures were completed by family members and current assessments of emotion were supplied by nursing home aides and family members; in addition, emotion was coded during a family visit using an objective coding system for facial emotion expressions. Attachment style was found to be related to the expression of positive affect, with securely attached individuals displaying more positive affect than avoidantly attached individuals. In addition, high ratings on premorbid hostility were associated with higher rates of negative affect and lower rates of positive affect. These findings indicate that premorbid aspects of personality show continuity over time, even in mid‐ to late‐stage dementia. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.