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ABSTRACT: The objectives of this study were to assess the dimensionality and reliability of a frequently used scale for predicting the desire to institutionalize among White, African American, and Hispanic caregivers of persons with dementia.
Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analyses were performed on a slightly modified version of Morycz's (1985) Desire to Institutionalize (DTI) scale separately for each racial group using data from the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health (REACH) II study (Belle et al., 2006).
The EFA revealed a one-factor structure that was equivalent across all racial groups. The scale demonstrated moderate reliability with KR-20 alpha of .694 for Whites, .742 for African Americans, and .767 for Hispanics.
Findings suggest that Morycz's DTI scale is a consistently reliable measure for assessing the desire to institutionalize across White, African American, and Hispanic dementia caregivers.
Journal of Aging and Health 02/2011; 23(1):195-202. · 1.56 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: With the rapid growth in the older inmate population, emerging issues regarding physical and mental health require greater research and clinical attention. We examined the relation of religiousness/spirituality; demographic characteristics such as age, race, and type of crime; and physical and mental health among 73 older male inmates in the state of Alabama.
Inmates older than age 50 who passed a cognitive screening completed face-to-face interviews lasting between 30 and 60 min. Due to the low literacy rates of the participants, we administered all measures orally with response cards to facilitate understanding.
Nearly 70% of the inmates were incarcerated for murder or sexual crimes. There were no racial/ethnic differences in reported religiousness/spirituality, demographic characteristics, or mental health. We found an association between self-reported years of incarceration and experienced forgiveness. Three regression models examined whether inmates' self-reported religiousness/spirituality influenced anxiety, depression, and desire for hastened death. We found that having a greater number of daily spiritual experiences and not feeling abandoned by God were associated with better emotional health.
Future studies, perhaps using longitudinal or case-control methodology, should examine whether increased daily spiritual experiences and decreased feelings of abandonment by God foster better mental health among older inmates.
The Gerontologist 11/2008; 48(5):692-7. · 2.48 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Objective. This study explored how male and female family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients differ in their use of formal services and informal support and how religiousness may affect such differences. Methods. Data were from a sample of 720 family caregivers of AD patients who participated in the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Heath (REACH I) study sites in Birmingham, Boston, Memphis, and Philadelphia. Results. Female caregivers were less likely to use in-home services than males (M = 0.83 vs. M = 1.06, p < .01) but reported more use of transportation services (21.6% vs. 12.7%, p < .01) and more use of informal support (M = 13.9 vs. M = 10.7, p < .01). Mediation tests suggested that three measures of religiousness helped explain the relationship between gender and use of formal services and informal support. Discussion. These findings highlight the necessity to assess AD caregivers' religiousness to better understand their circumstances.
Journal of Aging and Health 10/2008; 20(8):937-53. · 1.56 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Church attendance is associated with improved health and well-being among older adults, but older adults with functional limitations may have difficulty attending church services. This article examines differences in the association between functional limitations and church attendance in a sample of 987 elderly African American and white individuals. African American and white elderly people without limitations attended church at virtually the same rate (69 percent). Despite their higher scores on religiousness measures, elderly African Americans with one or more limitations were significantly less likely to attend church regularly than were white counterparts. Health status measures did not help explain older African Americans' lower attendance rates. Differences in attendance were associated primarily with educational attainment and cognitive functioning. The article recommends social work intervention to reduce barriers to church attendance for older adults who want to attend services.
Health & social work 12/2006; 31(4):246-55. · 0.94 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Globalization, coupled with increased attention to issues surrounding death, highlights the need to explore cultural influences on the social, personal, and psychological consequences of death. This study compared the responses of 82 American and 119 Lithuanian health and social service personnel on seven subscales of the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale. Lithuanian participants were more likely to express fear of the dying process and fear of the unknown and were less likely to fear the dead than were Americans. The findings suggest that different historical and environmental experiences with death may influence anxiety about various dimensions of death. Cultural differences in the dimensions of death anxiety among health and social service providers in the two nations suggest the importance of differential training based on specific cultural knowledge to improve the quality of care.
Death Studies 10/2006; 30(7):665-75. · 0.92 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We examined differences in positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) among 275 African American and 343 Caucasian caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease from the National Institutes of Health Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Care Health (REACH) study sites in Birmingham, Memphis, and Philadelphia. African Americans reported higher scores on PAC than did Caucasians. African Americans' higher religiosity partially mediated the relationship between race and PAC. Additional variables that contributed to their higher PAC scores were African Americans' lower anxiety, lower feelings of bother by the care recipient's behavior, and lower socioeconomic status.
The Journals of Gerontology Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 08/2004; 59(4):P185-90. · 2.62 Impact Factor
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Alzheimer's care today 09/2003; 4(4):267-270.
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ABSTRACT: This study examined the applicability of the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS; J.W.Hoetler, 1979a) in Lithuania, a culture where death anxiety has not been studied previously. It also ascertained the relationship between death anxiety and a multidimensional measure of religiosity. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that MFODS structure fit the Lithuanian data reasonably well, particularly if factors were allowed to be correlated. Lithuanian participants who expressed higher levels of intrinsic religiosity also expressed less fear of the unknown, but no other independent, linear relationships existed among the various dimensions of religiosity and death anxiety.
Death Studies 12/2002; 26(9):731-42. · 0.92 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: This study examined whether norms that concerning assisting frail older parents were different for daughters than for sons when the adult children are members of dual-earner couples. Data were gathered by telephone interviews from a probability sample of 315 adults residing in western Alabama. Of the 18 statements presented, statistically significant differences between the expectations for daughters and sons occurred in only three cases (help with housework, meal preparation, and yard work), suggesting substantial support for norms of equalitarianism. Further, there were few differences between the expectations held by females and by males for daughters and sons. Generally, the results suggested strong support for behaviors that facilitate the independent living of both adult children and their frail older parents.
Sex Roles 03/1986; 14(7):363-368. · 1.47 Impact Factor
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The Journal of Psychology Interdisciplinary and Applied 09/1980; 106(1):3-12. · 0.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to test perceptions regarding the sexuality of older persons and the appropriateness of alternatives to marriage for intimacy. Using data gathered from a random sample of 211 adult residents of a Southern city, we find that older persons are judged to be sexual beings and that some support exists for alternative outlets for sexual expression.
Journal of Family and Economic Issues 01/1980; 3(2):137-148.
