Definition and assessment of psychological frailty in older adults: A scoping review
Objectives The confusion surrounding psychological frailty and its components prompts the need for a standardized conceptual definition. To address this, we aimed to (1) identify the psychological variables included in multicomponent frailty assessment instruments used with older adults and examine...
| Autores: | , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2024 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad del País Vasco |
| Repositorio: | Addi. Archivo Digital para la Docencia y la Investigación |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:addi.ehu.eus:10810/69461 |
| Acceso en línea: | http://hdl.handle.net/10810/69461 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | psychological frailty frailty definition assessment older adults scoping review |
| Sumario: | Objectives The confusion surrounding psychological frailty and its components prompts the need for a standardized conceptual definition. To address this, we aimed to (1) identify the psychological variables included in multicomponent frailty assessment instruments used with older adults and examine their operationalization; and (2) formulate a thorough conceptualization of psychological frailty based on the variables identified. Methods This study followed the most recent recommendations for conducting scoping reviews and is reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. We systematically searched the CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, with additional searches in Google Scholar and reference lists. Results Sixteen instruments were identified. The results suggested that: (1) In multicomponent frailty assessment instruments, psychological variables are poorly represented; (2) A wide variety of psychological variables are included in the instruments, the most frequent being cognitive functioning and affective functioning (e.g., depressive symptoms, emotional loneliness, anxiety symptoms, poor coping, and suicidal ideation); and (3) The way in which variables are referred to and operationalized varies across instruments. Conclusions Including both cognitive and affective variables in psychological frailty assessments may lead to inaccuracies. We suggest distinguishing between two separate dimensions within psychological frailty: cognitive frailty and affective frailty. A conceptual definition for each dimension is provided. This proposal aims to advance the debate regarding the conceptualization and assessment of psychological frailty, with further research and discussion needed to ensure its practical applicability. |
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