Physically aggressive elderly: a social skills training program

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Behavioral Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Institutionalized elderly patients often exhibit physically aggressive behaviors.
• Effective interventions are needed to manage aggression in geriatric care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of a social skills training program in reducing physically aggressive behavior among institutionalized elderly patients.
• To evaluate the generalization of treatment effects to ward behavior and other social interactions.

Main Methods:

• A social skills training program incorporating instructions, modeling, role-playing, and feedback was implemented.
• An ABAB research design was used to monitor physically aggressive incidents.
• A 5-month follow-up period assessed long-term effects and generalization.

Main Results:

• The social skills training program significantly decreased physically aggressive behavior.
• Treated patients showed generalization of improved behavior to ward settings and other social interactions.
• The study explored differences between physical and verbal aggression and the role of vicarious reinforcement.

Conclusions:

• Group-based social skills training is an effective method for reducing physical aggression in institutionalized elderly individuals.
• Interventions can lead to sustained behavioral improvements and generalization of positive social behaviors.
• Further research into the nuances of aggression and reinforcement in this population is warranted.