Anxiété, dépression et comportement chez les personnes âgées : étude en vie quotidienne

The development of CBT programs for the elderly requires information concerning the influence of psychological disorders on daily life functioning. The association between the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms and the frequency of specific daily behaviors was studied in 47 elderly participants living independently or in retirement homes. Using a relatively new approach based on ambulatory data collection (ESM), the results indicate that the severity of anxiety and depression is associated with a daily functioning that is more passive and that includes less variation in activities and environments. This study underscores the importance of knowledge relative to the daily functioning of elderly persons, notably in the goal of developing the most appropriate cognitive-behavioral interventions.