ロールシャッハテストからみた高齢者の人格特徴—沖縄県の1離島における健康調査から

Personality Traits of the Aged as Examined with the Rorschach Test: from the point of view of investigating the health of the aged on an isolated island of Okinawa Prefecture

　【抄録】高齢者への精神保健活動を適切に行うためには，その人格特徴の理解が重要となる。本研究はロールシャッハテストを用いて，沖縄県の1離島の神経症圏の老人10名と健常老人15名を対象に，離島の高齢者の人格特徴と，神経症群と健常群の相違について検討を行った。結果は，神経症群に現実検討能力が低いことが若干認められたが，大きな相違は認められなかった。両群に共通した人格特徴は，強迫的で感情表現が乏しく現実的な点であった。これは他の研究に比べて，現実検討能力は高いが，内的活動レベルは低いことが明確になった。3年後に追跡調査を行ったが，大きな変化は認められなかった。これらのことから，この人格特徴は精神的老化が早いというよりは，風土や文化の影響が強いと考えられた。また両群ともに老人の危機的状況に陥りやすいことが予想されたため，心理的孤立化を防止する地域援助システムが重要であると考えられた。

　It is important when engaging in the promotion of mental health activities for the aged to understand their personality traits. In this study by use of the Rorschach test, the author attempts to assess the personality traits of the aged living on an isolated island in Okinawa prefecture and compare neurotic individuals with normal controls. The subjects were 10 neurotic individuals (N-group) and 15 normal controls (C-group). We found that the N-group showed low points on reality testing, but there was no great discrepancy between the two groups. The common traits of the 2 groups were obsessiveness and weak assertiveness and realism. Compared with other studies, these traits show higher levels on reality testing and lower levels of internal functioning. In the three-year follow-up study almost no change in personality was found. From these findings it is considered that these personality traits can be attributed to the strong influence of culture and climate, and not to the early onset of senility. Also, as it is assumed that both groups would have a tendency to fall into crisis, it is important to establish an area support system to prevent psychological isolation.