老年期の痴呆における情動のコミュニケーション

The Communication of Emotion in the Elderly People with Dementias

　【抄録】老年期痴呆者の感情反応能力について面接調査，心理テストを用いて検討した。対象者の痴呆程度は柄沢式およびDSM-III-Rを用いて分類した。面接による「持っている感情」の種類などの感情評価では，重度痴呆群を除いて，感情反応能力と痴呆の程度との関係は弱かった。重度痴呆群では，他の3群に比較して，感情反応能力は低かった。SDSによるうつ感情の評価では，得点およびうつ症状の頻度と痴呆程度とは関係が乏しかった。

　The communication of emotion in elderly demented patients, especially the competence of affective response, was studied. Interview and psychological tests were performed to investigate 14 kinds of affection such as anger, anxiety, and dislike. The results indicate that the varieties of affection in the elderly persons with moderate dementia did not differ remarkably from those in non-demented elderly people. However, the affective responses of elderly people with severe dementia had obviously deteriorated. The results of psychological tests also supported the clinical observations. More detailed scales on feelings are required.