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A profile of identity in early-stage dementia and a comparison with healthy older people
Author(s)Lisa S Caddell, Linda Clare
Journal titleAging & Mental Health, vol 17, nos 3-4, April/May 2013
PublisherTaylor and Francis, April/May 2013
Pagespp 319-327
Sourcehttp://www.tandfonline.com
KeywordsDementia ; Early ; Good Health ; Personality ; Attitude ; Comparison ; Cross sectional surveys ; Wales ; England.
AnnotationThe aim of the study was to determine whether people in the early stages of dementia experience their sense of identity differently to healthy older people and to examine whether different aspects of identity are related to each other in each group. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study: 50 people with early-stage dementia in North Wales and 50 age-matched people without dementia across England and North Wales completed measures pertaining to different aspects of identity. Measures of mood and self-esteem were also included, so that any differences could be taken into account in the analysis. There were very few differences in identity between the groups. After differences in levels of anxiety were accounted for, there were no differences in scores on most measures of identity. However, people in the early stages of dementia scored significantly lower on one subtotal for one measure of identity, whereas healthy older adults reported significantly more identity-related distress than people in the early stages of dementia. For both groups, there were no associations between different aspects of identity. People in the early stages of dementia do not differ much from healthy older adults in terms of their identity. Since healthy older people experience more distress relating to identity, they may be more likely to benefit from some sort of intervention than people in the early stages of dementia. It might be useful to consider identity as consisting of multiple components in future studies, rather than assuming that one aspect of identity represents the overall experience of identity. (RH).
Accession NumberCPA-130531211 A
ClassmarkEA: 4J: CD: DK: DP: 48: 3KB: 9: 82

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