DOES THE USE OF THE GERIATRIC DEPRESSION SCALE MAKE REDUNDANT THE NEED FOR SEPARATE MEASURES OF WELL-BEING ON GERIATRICS WARDS

Patients (n = 321) on geriatrics wards were asked to complete two or t hree of four well-being measures: the Geriatric Depression Scale, Phil adelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale, Southampton Self-esteem Scale and the Bradburn Affect Balance Scale. Analyses, including factor anal ysis, correlations and box-and-whisker plots, were carried out to inve stigate similarities in patient profiles provided by the different sca les. The GDS showed similar profiles to the other measures, particular ly the self-esteem scale, discriminating at the 'high' as well as 'low well-being' ends of the scales. These results indicate that, as far a s clinical practice is concerned, additional use of such well-being me asures may be unnecessary. Examination of different approaches to asse ssing well-being in clinical practice is required, for example measure s of 'life strengths'.