Open AccessLocus of Control and Its Associations with Depressive Symptoms amongst People with Dementia
Author(s) -
Ingeborg Halse,
Guro Hanevold Björklöf,
Knut Engedal,
Geir Selbæk,
Maria Lage Barca
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.026
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1421-9824
pISSN - 1420-8008
DOI - 10.1159/000517936
Subject(s) - dementia , psychology , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , rating scale , cognition , psychiatry , depressive symptoms , observational study , psychological intervention , population , disease , medicine , developmental psychology , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
Depression is common amongst people with dementia. This study examines whether locus of control (LoC), a perceived control construct influential in the coping process, is related to depressive symptoms in this population. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 257 community-dwelling older adults with a confirmed dementia diagnosis were included. At baseline, measures of depressive symptoms, LoC, cognition, independent functional ability, general health, dementia severity, and dementia disease insight were collected. At follow-up, measures of depressive symptoms and cognition were collected. Multiple linear regression using degree of depressive symptoms as measured with Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale as a dependent variable was applied to assess whether LoC was associated with depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up while controlling for covariates. Results: LoC ( p < 0.001), general health ( p = 0.003), and insight ( p = 0.010) were associated with severity of depressive symptoms at baseline, accounting for 28% of the variance. LoC ( p = 0.025) and depressive symptoms ( p < 0.001) at baseline were associated with severity of depressive symptoms at follow-up, accounting for 56.3% of the variance. Conclusion: LoC was significantly associated with severity of depressive symptoms in people with dementia at baseline and at follow-up. Attention to LoC may be valuable for our understanding of depression in people with dementia, and interventions targeting depression could benefit from including a focus on internalizing perceived control. However, these findings are novel, and more research is needed.