Factors associated with informant-rated personality problems in an elderlypopulation

Using data collected over two waves, 3.6 years apart, this study examined d ementia-related personality problems in a general population sample of pers ons aged 70 years and older, including both those living in the community a nd those in residential care. The aim of this study was to examine personal ity problems across a range of cognitive function, from those who were unim paired to those with a diagnosis of dementia. A further aim was to look at the association between the emergence of personality problems and other cha racteristics of the respondent (physical and mental health) and the informa nt (relationship to the respondent, mental health). Increase in personality problems was found to be positively correlated to cognitive impairment, wi th dementia sufferers showing the emergence of significantly more personali ty problems than those not suffering from dementia. A positive association was also found between an increase in personality problems and poorer physi cal and mental health in the respondent as well as poorer mental health of the informant. After accounting for these other Wave 1 variables, cognitive impairment contributed to the prediction of an increase in personality pro blems. The best individual predictors of personality problems were having h ad a stroke or symptoms of a stroke prior to Wave 2 and the informant's lev el of anxiety at Wave 1. This suggests that the informant's emotional state needs to be taken into account when interpreting data based on informant r eports.