An Exploratory Study Comparing Depressed and Nondepressed Elders' Coping Strategies

Thirty-two nondepressed elders were given a self-report coping behavior measure that asked them to identify strategies used in response to a recent major life event, and the experience of "feeling down" or "depressed." The measure also asked the subjects to rate how helpful each coping technique was. The data was compared with those gathered from a depressed elderly sample of equal size, chosen by a post hoc matching method from a population of outpatients undergoing treatment for a separate study. The depressed group reported a greater use of avoidance coping behavior than did the nondepressed sample; they were also significantly more likely to use emotional discharge as a coping technique. The nondepressed population consistently rated all methods of coping as more helpful than did the depressed sample, regardless of frequency of use.