Factors associated with informant-rated personality problems in an elderly population

Using data collected over two waves, 3.6 years apart, this study examined dementia-related personality problems in a general population sample of persons aged 70 years and older, including both those living in the community and those in residential care. The aim of this study was to examine personality problems across a range of cognitive function, from those who were unimpaired to those with a diagnosis of dementia. A further aim was to look at the association between the emergence of personality problems and other characteristics of the respondent (physical and mental health) and the informant (relationship to the respondent, mental health). Increase in personality problems was found to be positively correlated to cognitive impairment, with dementia sufferers showing the emergence of significantly more personality problems than those not suffering from dementia. A positive association was also found between an increase in personality problems and poorer physical and mental health in the respondent as well as poorer mental health of the informant. After accounting for these other Wave 1 variables, cognitive impairment contributed to the prediction of an increase in personality problems. The best individual predictors of personality problems were having had a stroke or symptoms of a stroke prior to Wave 2 and the informant's level of anxiety at Wave 1. This suggests that the informant's emotional state needs to be taken into account when interpreting data based on informant reports.