Anxiety and Loneliness in the Iranian Older Adults

Type Journal Article - International Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences
Title Anxiety and Loneliness in the Iranian Older Adults
Author(s)
Volume 5
Issue 2
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2015
Page numbers 49-52
URL http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.ijpbs.20150502.01.html
Abstract
Aging is a delicate part of our life and taking care of the subsequent problems and needs is a major social necessity. This study aims at determining the relationship between anxiety and loneliness among the Iranian older adults. In this correlational study, 200 older adults in Qom, Iran, were selected through the convenience sampling method. To gather the data, the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS) and the UCLA Loneliness Scale (version 3) were used as well as a questionnaire containing demographic variables. The sample consisted of 66% male, 91.5% of whom were married and aged from 60 to 93 (Mean: 68.32, SD: 7.1). Analytic findings showed that the GAS total score and three subscales were strongly correlated with the UCLA-LS score. Loss of interpersonal relationship leads to loneliness, fear of losing and anxiety due to separation at the end. According to the results and due to the high level of loneliness of the elderly in this study, it is suggested that through increasing social relationship and strengthening the interactions in the elderly, one can replace a new interpersonal relation with the lost one to decrease the feeling of loneliness. Therefore it could be a great assistance to reduce the anxiety of separation in the elderly.

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