Personality disorders and coping among anxious older adults

This study examined the interrelationships among anxiety, personality disor ders, and coping strategies in anxious older adults (n = 28; age range = 55 -89: mean = 66.0), nonanxious older adults (n = 100, age range = 55-79, mea n = 64.6), and anxious younger adults (n = 132; age range = 17-30; mean = 2 0.2). Younger participants were college students and older participants wer e community-based family members of the students or recruits from local sen ior centers. Participants completed the Coolidge Axis II Inventory, the Cop ing Orientations to Problems Experienced scale, and the Brief Symptom Inven tory. Results indicated that the prevalence of generalized anxiety states w as relatively low and similar in both older and younger groups and dependen t on measurement scale and criterion. At least one personality disorder was found in 61% of the older persons group; obsessive-compulsive, schizoid, a nd avoidant were the most frequently assigned personality disorders. Anxiou s older adults had elevated rates of dependent and avoidant personality dis order compared with nonanxious older adults. Younger anxious persons were f ound to have significantly greater personality dysfunction compared with ol der anxious persons. Finally, coping differences existed between older anxi ous and older nonanxious adults and between older anxious and younger anxio us adults. Implications for diagnosis and treatment of anxiety in older adu lts were discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.