Interpersonal Dependency in Older Adults: Development of a Scale

Psychologists have contributed to the understanding of dependency in older age by describing and explaining the functionality of dependency across the life-span. Psychological research has also examined variables (such as the responses of carers to the dependent behaviours of older people) that exacerbate dependent feelings and behaviours (Baltes, 1996), but it has not included an individual difference measure of interpersonal dependency. According to Rosowsky, Dougherty, Johnson and Gurian (1997), an understanding of the ways that personality style affects older adults' engagement and reception of health services would assist providers in planning treatments and services that are more cost effective and attuned to individuals' needs. This research,therefore, developed a measure of interpersonal dependency for use with older adults and evaluated it in a home- care service setting. In addition it was found that both interpersonal dependency and depression were significant positive predictors of mobility in older adults.