Abstract

Geriatric depression is strongly associated with increased healthcare costs, poor treatment outcomes, and mortality. Existing measures of depression in this population do not adequately account for more recent literature describing the presentation of depressed older adults, and thus may result in the underdiagnosis of depression in this population. The current study consistent of the development of a new, updated measure and examined its psychometric properties and potential clinical utility for diagnosing depression in adults over the age of 65. Participants were be recruited from multiple sources, including a community population from residential retirement communities, as well as inpatients and outpatients from two medical centers. All participants completed the 26-item Thorndyke Geriatric Depression Inventory (TGDI) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). A subset of participant completed the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Factor analysis was used to identify a factor structure in the TGDI data, facilitated deletion of low quality items from the measure, and suggested that TGDI items represented a single factor of depression. Scores on the TGDI were then correlated with MMSE and GDS scores to establish convergent and divergent validity. A finalized version of the TGDI was developed for further research and validation.

LLU Discipline

Clinical Psychology

Department

Psychology

School

School of Behavioral Health

First Advisor

Boyd, Kendal C.

Second Advisor

Lee, Grace J.

Third Advisor

Morrell, Holly E. R.

Fourth Advisor

Nitch, Stephen R.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2015

Date (Title Page)

9-2015

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Depression in old age; Depression -- Diagnosis -- Aged; Geriatric Assessment; Personality Inventory -- Aged; Geriatric Psychiatry; Psychometrics

Subject - Local

Geriatric depression; Measures of Depression; Geriatric Depression Scale; Mini Mental State Examination; Thorndyke Geriatric Depression Inventory

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

86

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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