YAŞLI BİREYLERDE YALNIZLIK, SOSYAL KATILIM, DEPRESYON VE BAŞA ÇIKMA STRATEJİLERİ ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİLERİN İNCELENMESİ

Abstract

This study was planned to examine the relationships between loneliness, social participation, depression and coping strategies of elderly individuals. Our study was completed with 184 participants, 101 women and 83 men. The loneliness levels of elderly individuals were assessed with the Loneliness Scale for the Elderly, their social participation with the Social Participation Questionnaire, their depression status with the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form and their coping strategies with the Coping Strategies Scale-Short Form. According to the findings, it was found that there was a negative and moderate relationship between loneliness and social participation score, a positive and moderate relationship between loneliness and depression score, and a negative and weak relationship between loneliness and humorous approach, self-limitation, positive reinterpretation and planning from the sub-dimensions of coping strategies (p<.05).There was a moderate negative correlation between social participation and depression score; there was a moderate positive correlation between social participation and instrumental social support, positive reinterpretation and planning from the coping strategies subscales; and there was a low negative correlation with religious orientation and behavioral disengagement (p<.05). It was observed that there was a low level negative correlation between depression levels and humorous approach, mental disengagement, positive reinterpretation and planning, and a low level positive correlation between focusing on and expressing emotions, religious orientation and behavioral disengagement (p<.05).The results obtained in our study show that elderly individuals should be evaluated in terms of loneliness levels, social participation and depression and that it would be useful to consider them in the intervention programs to be implemented. This study is also thought to be a guide for further studies on the development of coping strategies of elderly people.