| Abstract: | Cognitive models of depression have not been adequately tested in different cultural settings involving personally relevant events that affect the lives of the elderly. A cross-sectional comparison was made of cognitions obtained from Asian and Caucasian subjects, residing in Canada and the United States. The objective was to determine whether cognitive appraisals of stressful events would differentiate the elderly in the two cultural groups. Results supported the hypotheses that cognitive appraisals of locus of control, uncertainty, self-responsibility, self-confidence in future coping and fear about future recurrence of negative events are strongly associated with the depressive responses of the elderly in general. A comparison of the cognitive appraisals of the elderly in the two cultural groups showed depressed Asians more significantly than depressed Caucasians, reporting more external locus of control and self-blaming attributions. The results have implications for community workers, psychotherapists and social welfare agents concerned with the mental well-being of the elderly and the care of the elderly from different cultures. |
