Friday, April 25, 2008

Don't worry, be granny (or grandad)

Over the last twenty years researchers have become increasingly interested in worry. There has been a lot of research into worry among the general population but much less into worry among older adults. A study of 217 people in Canada asked an older group of 111 people about their levels of worry now compared to when they were younger. The second part of the study compared the levels of worry in older people to that of 106 university students. The researchers found that the older people worried less than the students. They were better at coping with uncertainty and less likely to see worry as something leading to effective problem solving, increased control or a reduction in vulnerability.

Basevitz, Paul ... [et al] - Age-related differences in worry and related processes International Journal of Human Aging and Development 2008, 66(4), 283-305

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