Citation

Roscoe LA, Cohen D. Am. J. Alzheimers Dis. Other Demen. 1999; 14(3): 165-171.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/153331759901400306

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study compared attitudes towards physicianassisted suicide in two groups of older persons, 57-caregivers of relatives with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 46-non-caregivers. A series of two-way ANOVAs by caregiver status and level of depressive symptoms compared hopelessness scores, attribution styles, and beliefs about physician-assisted suicide. Two attributional style scales were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Subjects who felt less in control of the stresses in their lives reported more depressive symptoms (F = 10.16, p =.002). Subjects who felt that the factors causing stress were unchangeable also reported significantly more depressive symptoms (F = 5.41, p =.022). Over twothirds of both groups believed assisted suicide was a rational decision in some circumstances, but 40 percent of caregivers and only 24 percent of non-caregivers believed physicians should assist patients in committing suicide. © 1999, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; aged; Alzheimer disease; article; attitude; caregiver; coping behavior; depression; empathy; euthanasia; female; helplessness; human; major clinical study; male; relative; scoring system