Molly Maxfield, Allie Peckham, Dara L James, Rachel E Koffer
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background and objectives: Dementia-related anxiety (DRA) is the fear or anxiety about a current or future diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or another type of dementia. The purpose of the present study was to examine management of DRA.
Methods and design: In semi-structured qualitative interviews, 50 community-dwelling adults (58-89 years old, M = 70.80, SD = 6.02) without dementia diagnoses reflected on their thoughts and feelings about dementia. A reflexive inductive thematic approach was used to examine ways people managed DRA.
Results: We identified five themes related to managing DRA: monitoring cognitive status (e.g., self-monitoring or objective assessment); active coping strategies (e.g., using external reminders, normalizing age-related change); interpersonal relationships and support (e.g., anticipating benefit of support from others); planning and preparing for potential outcomes (e.g., securing power of attorney, saying goodbyes); and personal responsibility to manage risk or accept diagnosis (e.g., lifestyle factors to reduce dementia risk, thereby reducing risk for burdening others).
Conclusions: Findings suggest internal and external means for coping with DRA that are likely to vary in degrees of usefulness. We consider findings within the context of relevant, established theories, attending to potential clinical interventions for individuals experiencing DRA.
期刊介绍:
This journal provides a forum for scientific, theoretically important, and clinically significant research reports and conceptual contributions. It deals with experimental and field studies on anxiety dimensions and stress and coping processes, but also with related topics such as the antecedents and consequences of stress and emotion. We also encourage submissions contributing to the understanding of the relationship between psychological and physiological processes, specific for stress and anxiety. Manuscripts should report novel findings that are of interest to an international readership. While the journal is open to a diversity of articles.