The psychosocial age: a tool to reduce the institutional stigma of elderly people with mental disorders

Geriatr Psychol Neuropsychiatr Vieil. 2018 Dec 1;16(4):439-448. doi: 10.1684/pnv.2018.0761.

Abstract

In line with previous studies on elderly with mental disorders discrimination, a concept called "Psychosocial age" has been methodologically formalized and mathematically modelized. Its aim is to support health providers and hinder stigmatization process which is influenced by social representations of our population. This article presents the construction of this indicator and its clinical implications. A literature review was therefore firstly conducted to isolate the involved cognitive functions in psychosocial adaptation. Then a second literature review isolated French-language valid tests and their retained scores for mathematical modelization on each aforementioned selected cognitive function. Nine databases were reviewed (PsychInfo and PsycArticles, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, PubMed (Medline), Taylor & Francis, the Wiley Online Library, Cairn and Google Scholar). The selected articles are both in French or English and the publication period is between 2000 and 2017. The mathematical modelization is then psychometrically presented and illustrated by too clinical illustrations. Finally, strength and limits of the psychosocial age are exposed especially highlighting its interest in the institutional decision process.

Keywords: ageing; ageism; discrimination; psychosocial age; psychosocial rehabilitation; social integration; social representation; stigmatization.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Psychometrics
  • Social Stigma*
  • Stereotyping*