Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, Vol 51, Issue 1 P3-14, Copyright © 1996 by The Gerontological Society of America
Observed affect in nursing home residents with Alzheimer's disease
MP Lawton, K Van Haitsma and J Klapper
Polisher Research Institute, Philadelphia Geriatric Center, USA.
A method for assessing affect states among older people with Alzheimer's
disease was developed for use in a study designed to evaluate a special
care unit for such residents of a nursing home. The 6-item Philadelphia
Geriatric Center Affect Rating Scale was designed for the use of research
and other staff in assessing positive affect (pleasure, interest,
contentment) and negative affect (sadness, worry/anxiety, and anger) by
direct observation of facial expression, body movement, and other cues that
do not depend on self-report, among 253 demented and 43 nondemented
residents. Each affect scale was highly reliable, expressed in estimated
portions of a 10-minute observation period when the affect expression
occurred. Validity estimates were affirmative in showing discriminant
correlations between the positive states and various independent measures
of social and other outwardly engaged behavior and between negative states
and other measures of depression, anger, anxiety, and withdrawal. Limited
support for the two- factor dimensionality of the affect ratings was
obtained, although positive and negative affect were correlated, rather
than independent. Some hope is offered that the preference and aversions of
Alzheimer patients may be better understood by observations of their
emotional behaviors and that such methods may lead to a better ability to
judge institutional quality.
