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Diagnosed in older people. Features of psychological diagnostics of older people. Missed or delayed diagnosis

1.1 Basic approaches to psychodiagnostics

The word “psychodiagnostics” literally means “making a psychological diagnosis,” or making a qualified decision about the current psychological state of a person as a whole or about any particular psychological property.

The term under discussion is ambiguous, and in psychology there are two understandings of it. One of the definitions of the concept “psychodiagnostics” refers to it as special area psychological knowledge regarding the development and use in practice of various psychodiagnostic tools.

The second definition of the term “psychodiagnostics” indicates a specific area of activity of a psychologist associated with the practical formulation of a psychological diagnosis. Here, not so much theoretical as purely practical issues related to the organization and conduct of psychodiagnostics are resolved.

In psychological diagnostics, there are mainly two approaches to recognizing and then measuring individual psychological characteristics of a person: nomothetic and ideographic. The nomothetic approach is focused on the discovery of general laws that are valid for any specific case. It involves identifying individual characteristics and correlating them with the norm. The ideographic approach is based on recognizing the individual characteristics of a person and describing them. It is focused on describing a complex whole - a specific person. An ideogram is nothing more than a written sign that signifies an entire concept, rather than a letter of a language.

The nomothetic method is criticized, since general laws do not give a complete picture of a person and do not allow one to predict his behavior due to the uniqueness of each person. The ideographic method is also criticized, first of all, for not meeting the standards of objectivity (the results obtained largely depend on the conceptual orientations of the researcher and his experience).

From a methodological point of view, the integration of these two approaches allows us to formulate an objective psychological diagnosis.

In modern psychology, several complementary approaches to understanding the essence of psychodiagnostics have developed, which, with a certain degree of convention, can be designated as instrumental, constructive, gnostic, helping, practice-oriented and integral.

The instrumental approach considers psychodiagnostics as a set of methods and means for measuring mental states and properties, as a process of identifying and measuring individual psychological characteristics of a person using special methods.

the main task psychological diagnostics comes down to the selection and direct use of diagnostic tools to identify the individual uniqueness of a particular person while establishing differences in the mental organization of different groups of people.

The instrumental role of psychodiagnostics becomes important in the activities of a practical psychologist, which is multi-problem and involves the simultaneous testing of a large number of diagnostic hypotheses. However, reducing psychological diagnostics only to methods and means for identifying mental phenomena significantly limits its capabilities as a scientific discipline and narrows the diagnostic thinking of a psychologist to solving the predominantly pragmatic question of which technique to use.

The so-called constructive direction is quite closely related to the instrumental direction, the purpose of which is to develop methods for identifying and studying individual psychological and psychophysiological characteristics of a person. From the standpoint of this approach, the most important tasks of psychodiagnostics are the design of new psychodiagnostic tools and modification of existing ones; in the development of methods for predicting mental development and behavior depending on various natural and social factors and living conditions, in the development of psychodiagnostic technologies. However, psychodiagnostics cannot be reduced only to the development or modification and adaptation of tools.

The recognition of psychodiagnostics' ability to recognize psychic reality underlies an approach that can conventionally be called gnostic. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the emphasis is on revealing the individual identity and uniqueness of the inner world of each person. The use of methods or their complexes ceases to be an end in itself; the attention of the diagnostic psychologist is drawn to the uniqueness of a person’s mental appearance.

The main objectives of the Gnostic approach to psychodiagnostics are: determining the general patterns of formation and development mental formations; establishing a connection between individual manifestations of a mental phenomenon and knowledge of its essence; recognition of individual characteristics in general manifestations of the human psyche; correlation of an individual picture of behavior or state of a particular person with known types and previously established average statistical standards.

The helping approach considers psychodiagnostics as one of the types of psychological assistance. Many psychodiagnostic procedures contain therapeutic potential. The use of drawing techniques and filling out questionnaires, which require a person to concentrate on their experiences, is often accompanied by a calming effect.

The helping function of psychodiagnostics especially increases at the final stage. At the same time, a psychodiagnostic examination can cause a negative reaction in the subject, so the helping effect of psychodiagnostics has certain limitations.

The emergence of a practice-oriented approach to understanding the essence of diagnosis is explained by the intensive penetration of practical psychology into solving personal and professional problems of a person. This allows us to consider psychodiagnostics as a special area of practice aimed at identifying various qualities, mental and psychophysiological characteristics, personality traits, helping to solve life problems.

The integral approach links together theoretical and practical psychology. In relation to methods of psychological research, it acts as a common basis that unites all areas of their practical implementation. In this regard, psychological diagnostics is a specific scientific direction, based on its own methodological and methodological principles and dealing with theoretical and practical problems of making a psychological diagnosis. The basis of the integral direction is the idea of the integrity of the phenomena of experience, behavior and activity of the individual.

Thus, at present in psychological science there is no single point of view on the essence of psychological diagnostics. The diversity of opinions is explained by the multidimensionality of content and directions professional activity psychologist, in which different facets of psychological diagnostics can be realized, as well as large, but insufficiently fully disclosed theoretical and practical possibilities of this discipline.

1.2 general characteristics psychodiagnostic methods

In modern psychology, many different methods of psychodiagnostics are used, but not all of them can be called scientifically based. In addition, among them there are research and actual psychodiagnostic methods. The last name refers only to that group of methods that are used for evaluation purposes, that is, they allow one to obtain accurate quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the psychological properties being studied. Methods that do not pursue this goal and are intended only for studying psychological processes, properties and states of a person are called research. They are usually used in empirical and experimental scientific research, the main goal of which is to obtain reliable knowledge.

There are more than a thousand psychodiagnostic methods in the world, and it is almost impossible to understand them without having some diagram as a guide. This most general classification scheme for psychodiagnostic methods can be proposed, and it looks like this:

· Methods of psychodiagnostics based on observation.

· Questionnaire psychodiagnostic methods.

· Objective psychodiagnostic methods, including recording and analysis of a person’s behavioral reactions and the products of his labor.

· Experimental methods of psychodiagnostics.

The first group of methods - diagnosis based on observation - necessarily involves the introduction of observation and the primary use of its results for psychodiagnostic conclusions. In this case, standard schemes and conditions are introduced into the observation procedure, which precisely determine what to observe, how to observe, how to record the results of observation, how to evaluate, interpret and draw conclusions based on them. Observation that meets all of the listed psychodiagnostic requirements is called standardized observation.

Psychodiagnostic methods through a survey procedure are based on the assumption that the necessary information about a person’s psychological characteristics can be obtained by analyzing written or oral responses to a series of standard, specially selected questions.

There are several varieties of this group of methods: questionnaire, questionnaire, interview. A questionnaire is a method in which the subject not only answers a series of questions, but also reports some socio-demographic data about himself, for example, his age, profession, level of education, place of work, position, Family status etc. A questionnaire is a method in which the subject is asked a series of written questions. Such questions are usually of two types: closed and open. Closed questions are those that require a standardized answer or a series of such answers, from which the subject must choose the one that most suits him and corresponds to his opinion. Examples of such answers to standard questions: “yes”, “no”, “I don’t know”, “agree”, “disagree”, “difficult to say”.

Open questions are those that require an answer given in a relatively free form, chosen arbitrarily by the subject himself. Answers to such questions, unlike closed ones, are usually subject to qualitative rather than quantitative analysis. Questions of a psychodiagnostic questionnaire, in addition, can be direct and indirect. Direct questions are those in which the subject himself characterizes and directly evaluates the presence, absence, or degree of expression of one or another psychological quality. Indirect questions are those whose answers do not contain direct assessments by the subject of the property being studied, but by which, nevertheless, one can indirectly judge the level of his psychological development.

In addition to the written surveys discussed, there are oral surveys. One of them is called an interview. The psychologist himself asks the subject questions and writes down the answers to them. These questions are predefined and can be of the same types as in a written survey.

One of the methods of psychodiagnostics through the analysis of activity results is content analysis, in which the subject’s written texts, his works, letters, and products of activity are subjected to content analysis according to a predetermined scheme. The task of content analysis is to identify and evaluate the psychological characteristics of a person that are manifested in what he does, in particular, in the products of his written creativity.

The peculiarity of the experiment as a method of psychodiagnostics is that in order to assess any property of the subject, a special psychodiagnostic experiment is set up and conducted. The procedure for such an experiment includes the creation of some artificial situation that stimulates the manifestation of the quality under study in the subject, as well as a standard methodology for recording and assessing the degree of development of this quality. As a result of organizing and conducting a psychodiagnostic experiment, the researcher receives the assessments of interest through a specially organized observation of the subject’s behavior in an experimental situation.

Let’s assume that a researcher is interested in assessing a personality quality such as “anxiety.” A diagnostic experiment aimed at an accurate, life-real assessment of this quality could look like this. The subject is placed in a situation related to passing examination tests or the need to perform some difficult work under conditions of time shortage and strict assessment of its results.

While the subject is performing the task, he can be observed and recorded. various signs high anxiety behavior. If there are quite a lot of such signs, then we can conclude that the personality trait under study is developed quite strongly in this subject. If there are no such signs at all, then we can conclude that the subject has no anxiety. If, finally, there are a moderate number of such signs, then it will be possible to draw a conclusion about the average degree of development of the quality “anxiety” in this person.

1.3 Features of psychodiagnostic methods for older people

The current socio-demographic trend towards an increase in the number of elderly people in total mass population of the country creates the need for systematic work of social services with this category of citizens.

Termination or restriction of work activity for a retired person seriously changes his value priorities, lifestyle and communication, and often becomes the cause of psychological problems characteristic of older people.

On the other hand, this is a very diverse category of the population, because older people differ both in characterological characteristics and in status and condition: they can be people living alone and living in families, with various chronic diseases and practically healthy, leading an active lifestyle and sedentary, interested in what is happening in the outside world and immersed in themselves.

To successfully work with this category of the population, it is important for a social worker to be aware of not only the socio-economic situation, but also to have an idea of the characteristics of a person’s character and condition in order to confidently build a support program in each specific case.

A set of psychodiagnostic techniques for social work opens up wide diagnostic opportunities for subsequent organization of care for older people. One of the main diagnostic tools are complementary techniques that determine the level of social isolation and frustration of an individual.

Social isolation is a forced long-term stay of a person in conditions of limited or even absence of social contacts. With social isolation, there is a loss of meaning in life, which, in turn, can be the cause of personality degradation and inappropriate behavior. The high level of social frustration is due to the inability to satisfy the needs for different areas relations in society. Accordingly, identifying a critical level for the two named parameters aims at work that helps to overcome the social stereotypes of old age that orient a person towards inactivity, breaking contacts and causing distress, and with it a decline in vitality.

No less significant are studies of the subjective well-being of older people in combination with the study of personal characteristics and manifestations of various conditions. The level of subjective well-being is influenced by two factors: internal, associated with personality characteristics, and external conditions: income, health problems, presence or absence of work, relationships in society, leisure, living conditions and more. Usually, internal factors often have a greater impact on the feeling of subjective well-being than external ones, so it is important not only to determine the level of subjective well-being, but also to explore personal structures that can create negative attitudes and interfere with a meaningful attitude towards life. So, with the help of the Cattell questionnaire, you can focus on data on emotional and volitional manifestations of personality, as well as on the characteristics of interpersonal interaction. Other significant factors include tendencies toward depression, uncontrollable behavior, etc.

No less important diagnostic data that helps to make a complete personal analysis is obtained using methods that study the state and individual emotional manifestations (Luscher Color Test, SAN, Spielberger-Khanin Anxiety Scale, etc.)

In particular, when diagnosing older people, it is necessary to have an understanding of the manifestations of anxiety. Personal anxiety largely determines a person’s behavior and his tendency to perceive most situations as threatening, if also his coping strategies stressful situations are not constructive, then there is a huge likelihood of emotional and neurotic breakdowns, as well as psychosomatic diseases.

Diagnosis of the mental and social status of elderly and senile people is most often carried out using the following methods:

American specialists R. Allen and S. Lindy developed a very simple test to determine the probable life expectancy. In order to check your prospects, you need to add (or subtract from it) the corresponding number of years to the initial numbers (70 for men, 78 for women) by answering a series of questions.

2. Self-esteem and anxiety assessment scale (C. Spielberger) - this technique will be discussed in more detail in the second chapter.

3. Methodology “Motivation of Affiliation” (A. Mehrabyan and M. Sh. Magomed-Eminov).

Methodology (test) by A. Mehrabian modified by M. Sh. Magomed-Eminov. Designed to diagnose two generalized stable motivators included in the structure of affiliation motivation - the desire for acceptance (AS) and the fear of rejection (FR). The test consists of two scales: SP and SO.

If the sum of points on the SP scale is greater than that on the SO scale, then the subject expresses a desire for affiliation, but if the sum of points is less, then the subject expresses the “fear of rejection” motive. If the total scores on both scales are equal, it should be taken into account at what level (high or low) it manifests itself. If the levels of desire for acceptance and fear of rejection are high, this may indicate that the subject has internal discomfort and tension, since the fear of rejection prevents the satisfaction of the need to be in the company of other people.

1. Test "Egocentric associations"

Purpose: to determine the level of egocentric orientation of the personality of an elderly person. The test consists of 40 unfinished sentences.

The purpose of processing and analysis is to obtain an egocentrism index, by which one can judge the egocentric or non-egocentric orientation of the subject’s personality. It makes sense to process the results when the subject has completely completed the task. Therefore, during the testing process, it is important to ensure that all sentences are completed. In cases where more than ten sentences are not completed, it is not practical to process the test form. The egocentrism index is determined by the number of sentences in which there is a first person singular pronoun, possessive and proper pronouns formed from it (“I”, “me”, “my”, “mine”, “me”, etc.) . Sentences that are continued but not completed by the subject, containing pronouns, and sentences that contain a first-person singular verb are also taken into account.

2. Method “Tendency to Loneliness”

This technique is a fragment of A.E.’s test. Lichko It measures the tendency towards loneliness.

The tendency to loneliness is understood as the desire to avoid communication and to be outside the social communities of people.

The text of the questionnaire consists of 10 statements. The subject must mark on the answer sheet whether he agrees or disagrees with this or that position.

The higher the positive score, the more pronounced the desire for loneliness. With a negative score, he does not have such a desire.

3. Study of wisdom (P. Baltes and others)

Paul Baltes demonstrated the limits of the reserve capacity of older people. In his study, older and younger people with similar levels of education were asked to remember a long list of words, such as 30 nouns, arranged in a strictly defined order.

In order to assess the amount of knowledge associated with wisdom, P. Baltes asked experiment participants to resolve dilemmas like this: “A fifteen-year-old girl wants to get married immediately. What should she do? Paul Baltes asked study participants to think through a problem out loud. The subjects' reflections were recorded on tape, transcribed, and assessed based on the extent to which they contained the five basic criteria of knowledge associated with wisdom: factual (real) knowledge, methodological knowledge, life contextualism, value relativism (relativity of values), and the element of doubt and methods. resolution of uncertainty. The participants' responses were then ranked according to the amount and type of wisdom-related knowledge.

Definition problem areas using psychodiagnostics is just the first step to building a strategy to help older people. Even if the diagnosis gives an optimistic prognosis and adaptive indicators: maintaining social contacts, low levels of frustration, optimism, etc., the social support system should include developmental methods for solving potential problem situations.

Conclusions on Chapter I

Thus, psychodiagnostics is not only a direction in practical psychodiagnostics, but also a theoretical discipline.

Psychodiagnostics in a practical sense can be defined as establishing a psychodiagnostic diagnosis - a description of the state of objects, which can be an individual, group or organization.

Psychodiagnostics is carried out on the basis of special methods. It can be an integral part of an experiment or act independently as a research method or as an area of activity for a practical psychologist, while being directed towards examination rather than research.

Psychodiagnostics is understood in two ways:

In a broad sense, it is close to the psychodiagnostic dimension in general and can relate to any object that is amenable to psychodiagnostic analysis, acting as an identification and measurement of its properties;

In a narrow sense, more common, it is the measurement of individual psychodiagnostic properties of a person.

There are 3 main stages in a psychodiagnostic examination:

· Data collection.

· Processing and interpretation of data.

· Making a decision – psychodiagnostic diagnosis and prognosis.

Psychodiagnostics as a science is defined as a field of psychology that develops methods for identifying and measuring individual psychological characteristics of a person.

Currently, many psychodiagnostic methods have been created and are practically used.

Most general scheme classifications of psychodiagnostic methods can be presented as the following diagram:

psychodiagnostic

research

Based

observations

Objective psychodiagnostics. methods

Experimental methods

survey

questionnaire

interview

indirect

Rice. 1. Classification of psychodiagnostic methods

The following methods of psychodiagnostics of elderly people are most often used:

1. Life expectancy test (R. Alen. S. Lindy)

2. Self-esteem and anxiety assessment scale (C. Spielberger)

3. Methodology “Motivation of Affiliation” (A. Mehrabyan and M.Sh. Magomed-Eminov).

4. Test "Egocentric associations"

5. Method “Tendency to Loneliness”

6. Study of wisdom (P. Baltes and others)

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INTRODUCTION

Conclusions on Chapter I

Conclusions on Chapter II

CONCLUSION

Application

psychodiagnostics elderly person

INTRODUCTION

The famous American psychologist E. Erikson considered old age to be a stage of personality development, at which it is possible either to acquire such a quality as integrativeness - the integrity of the individual, or to experience despair from the fact that life is almost over, but it was not lived as wanted and planned.

The main task of old age is to achieve value, awareness and acceptance of the life lived and the people with whom it has brought itself together as internally necessary and the only possible one. Integrity is based on the understanding that life has taken place and nothing can be changed in it. Wisdom consists in accepting your own life as a whole, with all its ups and downs, in the absence of bitterness over a wrongly lived life and the opportunity to start it over again. The aging process occurs individually in each person. The main thing is not to apply the same criterion to everyone. At the same time, it is important to realize that older people are an age group that has socially specific characteristics and needs. A healthy old person should develop, in accordance with his interests, affections and needs, a wide range of different forms of activity: cultural, professional, social, artistic, sports. The environment should help him in this, not create barriers between him and himself. Old age should in no case be a passive growing season; it should become a further stage in the realization of a person’s aspirations, satisfying his need to be significant and independent. The widespread inclusion of old people in the life of society would allow young people to free themselves from the fear of old age and see it as a natural form of their future life.

In this regard, questions about how older people fit into the context of modern reality, the extent to which their life ideas are consistent with existing social norms, and the extent to which they have been able to perceive and adapt to social changes occurring at the macro and micro levels become particularly relevant. To obtain an answer to the questions posed, it is necessary to develop the most optimal methods for psychodiagnostics of elderly people.

The purpose of this study is to consider the features of psychodiagnostics of older people.

The object of the study is elderly people as an age category.

The subject of the study is methods of psychodiagnostics of elderly people.

Hypothesis: the diagnosis of older people has specific features: there is a need to assess emotional neurotic breakdowns and psychological diseases; identifying problem areas (adaptive indicator); study of wisdom.

To achieve this goal and prove the hypothesis, we have identified the following research objectives:

· consider the age characteristics of older people;

· analyze the features of psychodiagnostic methods for older people;

· select and test a psychodiagnostic set of techniques for working with older people;

The choice of qualitative methods (conversation, interviews and psychodiagnostics) in the study was not accidental. Qualitative methods are aimed at revealing cause-and-effect relationships, analyzing the procedural characteristics of the phenomenon being studied and do not aim to trace quantitative patterns. It is the disclosure of the most complete phenomenological picture that is one of the conditions that allows one to analyze the internal structure and interconnections of this phenomenon and reach a deeper level of understanding the problems of old age.

The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying the results obtained in activities social institutions when working with older people.

The research base is the Narimanov Social Service Center.

CHAPTER I. ANALYSIS OF THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF PSYCHODIAGNOSTICS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE

1.1 Basic approaches to psychodiagnostics

The term under discussion is ambiguous, and in psychology there are two understandings of it. One of the definitions of the concept “psychodiagnostics” refers it to a special area of psychological knowledge concerning the development and use in practice of various psychodiagnostic tools.

From a methodological point of view, the integration of these two approaches allows us to formulate an objective psychological diagnosis.

The main task of psychological diagnostics comes down to the selection and direct application of diagnostic tools to identify the individual uniqueness of a particular person while establishing differences in the mental organization of different groups of people.

The instrumental role of psychodiagnostics becomes important in the activities of a practical psychologist, which is multi-problem and involves simultaneous verification large quantity diagnostic hypotheses. However, reducing psychological diagnostics only to methods and means for identifying mental phenomena significantly limits its capabilities as a scientific discipline and narrows the diagnostic thinking of a psychologist to solving the predominantly pragmatic question of which technique to use.

The so-called constructive direction is quite closely related to the instrumental direction, the purpose of which is to develop methods for identifying and studying individual psychological and psychophysiological characteristics of a person. From the standpoint of this approach, the most important tasks of psychodiagnostics are the design of new psychodiagnostic tools and modification of existing ones; in the development of forecasting methods mental development and behavior depending on various natural and social factors and living conditions, in the development of psychodiagnostic technologies. However, psychodiagnostics cannot be reduced only to the development or modification and adaptation of tools.

The main objectives of the Gnostic approach to psychodiagnostics are: determination of general patterns of formation and development of mental formations; establishing a connection between individual manifestations of a mental phenomenon and knowledge of its essence; recognition of individual characteristics in general manifestations of the human psyche; correlation of an individual picture of behavior or state of a particular person with known types and previously established average statistical norms.

The helping approach considers psychodiagnostics as one of the types psychological assistance. Many psychodiagnostic procedures contain therapeutic potential. The use of drawing techniques and filling out questionnaires, which require a person to concentrate on their experiences, is often accompanied by a calming effect.

Thus, at present in psychological science there is no single point of view on the essence of psychological diagnostics. The diversity of opinions is explained both by the multidimensional content and directions of a psychologist’s professional activity, in which different facets of psychological diagnostics can be realized, and by the large, but insufficiently fully disclosed theoretical and practical possibilities of this discipline.

1.2 General characteristics of psychodiagnostic methods

· Methods of psychodiagnostics based on observation.

· Questionnaire psychodiagnostic methods.

· Objective psychodiagnostic methods, including recording and analysis of a person’s behavioral reactions and the products of his labor.

· Experimental methods of psychodiagnostics.

There are several varieties of this group of methods: questionnaire, questionnaire, interview. A questionnaire is a method in which the subject not only answers a series of questions, but also reports some socio-demographic data about himself, for example, his age, profession, level of education, place of work, position, marital status, etc. Questionnaire is a method in which the subject is asked a series of written questions. Such questions are usually of two types: closed and open. Closed questions are those that require a standardized answer or a series of such answers, from which the subject must choose the one that most suits him and corresponds to his opinion. Examples of such answers to standard questions: “yes”, “no”, “I don’t know”, “agree”, “disagree”, “difficult to say”.

One of the methods of psychodiagnostics through the analysis of activity results is content analysis, in which the subject’s written texts, his works, letters, and products of activity are subjected to content analysis according to a predetermined scheme. The purpose of content analysis is to identify and evaluate psychological characteristics a person, which are manifested in what he does, in particular, in the products of his written creativity.

Let’s assume that a researcher is interested in assessing a personality quality such as “anxiety.” A diagnostic experiment aimed at an accurate, life-real assessment of this quality could look like this. The subject is placed in a situation related to passing examination tests or the need to perform some complex work under time pressure and a strict assessment of its results.

While the subject is performing the task, he can be observed and recorded for various signs of high-anxiety behavior. If there are quite a lot of such signs, then we can conclude that the personality trait under study is developed quite strongly in this subject. If there are no such signs at all, then we can conclude that the subject has no anxiety. If, finally, there are a moderate number of such signs, then it will be possible to draw a conclusion about the average degree of development of the quality “anxiety” in this person.

1.3 Features of psychodiagnostic methods for older people

The current socio-demographic trend towards an increase in the number of elderly people in the country's total population gives rise to the need for systematic work of social services with this category of citizens.

A set of psychodiagnostic techniques for social work opens up wide diagnostic possibilities for the subsequent organization of assistance to older people. One of the main diagnostic tools are complementary techniques that determine the level of social isolation and frustration of an individual.

Social isolation is a forced long-term stay of a person in conditions of limited or even absence of social contacts. With social isolation, there is a loss of meaning in life, which, in turn, can be the cause of personality degradation and inappropriate behavior. The high level of social frustration is due to the inability to satisfy needs in various spheres of relations in society. Accordingly, identifying a critical level for the two named parameters aims at work that helps to overcome the social stereotypes of old age that orient a person towards inactivity, breaking contacts and causing distress, and with it a decline in vitality.

No less significant are studies of the subjective well-being of older people in combination with the study of personal characteristics and manifestations of various conditions. The level of subjective well-being is influenced by two factors: internal, associated with personality characteristics, and external conditions: income, health problems, presence or absence of work, relationships in society, leisure, living conditions, etc. As a rule, internal factors often have a greater influence on the feeling of subjective well-being than external ones, so it is important not only to determine the level of subjective well-being, but also to explore personal structures that can create negative attitudes and interfere with a meaningful attitude towards life. So, with the help of the Cattell questionnaire, you can focus on data on emotional and volitional manifestations of personality, as well as on the characteristics of interpersonal interaction. Other significant factors include tendencies toward depression, uncontrollable behavior, etc.

No less important diagnostic data that helps to make a complete personal analysis is obtained using techniques that study the state and individual emotional manifestations ( Color test Luscher, SAN, Spielberger-Hanin anxiety scale, etc.)

In particular, when diagnosing older people, it is necessary to have an understanding of the manifestations of anxiety. Personal anxiety largely determines a person’s behavior and his tendency to perceive most situations as threatening; if at the same time the strategies for overcoming stressful situations are not constructive, then there is a huge likelihood of emotional and neurotic breakdowns, as well as psychosomatic diseases.

Diagnosis of the mental and social status of elderly and senile people is most often carried out using the following methods:

2. Self-esteem and anxiety assessment scale (C. Spielberger) - this technique will be discussed in more detail in the second chapter.

3. Methodology “Motivation of Affiliation” (A. Mehrabyan and M. Sh. Magomed-Eminov).

1. Test "Egocentric associations"

Purpose: to determine the level of egocentric orientation of the personality of an elderly person. The test consists of 40 unfinished sentences.

2. Method “Tendency to Loneliness”

This technique is a fragment of A.E.’s test. Lichko It measures the tendency towards loneliness.

The tendency to loneliness is understood as the desire to avoid communication and to be outside the social communities of people.

The text of the questionnaire consists of 10 statements. The subject must mark on the answer sheet whether he agrees or disagrees with this or that position.

The higher the positive score, the more pronounced the desire for loneliness. With a negative score, he does not have such a desire.

3. Study of wisdom (P. Baltes and others)

Identifying problem areas using psychodiagnostics is just the first step in building a strategy to help older people. Even if the diagnosis gives an optimistic prognosis and adaptive indicators: maintaining social contacts, low levels of frustration, optimism, etc., the social support system should include developmental methods for solving potential problem situations.

Conclusions on Chapter I

Thus, psychodiagnostics is not only a direction in practical psychodiagnostics, but also a theoretical discipline.

Psychodiagnostics in a practical sense can be defined as the establishment of a psychodiagnostic diagnosis - a description of the state of objects, which can be an individual, a group or an organization.

Psychodiagnostics is understood in two ways:

In a narrow sense, more common, it is the measurement of individual psychodiagnostic properties of a person.

There are 3 main stages in a psychodiagnostic examination:

· Data collection.

· Processing and interpretation of data.

· Making a decision - psychodiagnostic diagnosis and prognosis.

Psychodiagnostics as a science is defined as a field of psychology that develops methods for identifying and measuring individual psychological characteristics of a person.

Currently, many psychodiagnostic methods have been created and are practically used.

The most general classification scheme for psychodiagnostic methods can be presented as the following diagram:

Rice. 1. Classification of psychodiagnostic methods

The following methods of psychodiagnostics of elderly people are most often used:

1. Life expectancy test (R. Alen. S. Lindy)

2. Self-esteem and anxiety assessment scale (C. Spielberger)

3. Methodology “Motivation of Affiliation” (A. Mehrabyan and M.Sh. Magomed-Eminov).

4. Test "Egocentric associations"

5. Method “Tendency to Loneliness”

6. Study of wisdom (P. Baltes and others)

CHAPTER II. EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE FEATURES OF PSYCHODIAGNOSTICS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE USING THE EXAMPLE OF CSO G. NARIMANOV

2.1 Organization of psychodiagnostic research on the basis of the Center for Social Security in the city of Narimanov

The purpose of the “Center for Social Services for the Population of Narimanov” is social services for low-income citizens, improvement of their social economic conditions life, providing social assistance to vulnerable citizens who find themselves in difficult life situations.

· citizens (adults and children) who are disabled;

participants of the Great Patriotic War and persons equated to them, home front workers, widows of mothers of fallen servicemen, former minor prisoners of fascist camps;

· single elderly people and families consisting of pensioners;

persons exposed to political repression and rehabilitated;

· registered refugees, internally displaced persons;

· persons exposed to radiation contamination;

· orphans and those left without parental care;

· graduates of orphanages and boarding schools living independently;

· children from “at-risk” families;

· unemployed adults and teenagers;

· persons who have returned from places of imprisonment or specialized educational institutions;

· persons without a fixed place of residence and occupation;

· persons who have undergone treatment for alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse;

· low-income single-parent and large families;

· pregnant women, nursing mothers, and on maternity leave;

· young families;

· families and individual citizens who find themselves in extreme situations.

The main objectives of the “Center for Social Services for the Population of Narimanov” are:

· implementation of programs, schedules and other activities for social support of the population;

· identification of citizens in need of social services together with health authorities, education, migration services, the Novosibirsk Regional Committee of the Red Cross Society, veteran organizations, societies for the disabled, religious organizations and associations, etc.;

· introduction into practice of new forms of social services;

· providing citizens with social, social, medical, socio-psychological, socio-pedagogical, legal, health services, material and in-kind assistance of a one-time and periodic nature, in compliance with the principles of humanity, targeting, and confidentiality of provision;

· social patronage of families and individual citizens in need of social assistance, rehabilitation and support;

· participation in the work to prevent child neglect;

· implementation of measures to improve the professional level of employees of the “Center for Social Services of the Population of Narimanov”.

At the Center for Social Services for the Population of Narimanov, we conducted a psychodiagnostic study of elderly people using the “Self-esteem and anxiety assessment scale (C. Spielberger)” methodology.

This method is expressed as a test.

The proposed test is a reliable and informative way to self-assess the level of anxiety at a given moment (reactive anxiety as a state) and personal anxiety (as a stable characteristic of a person).

Personal anxiety characterizes a stable tendency to perceive a wide range of situations as threatening, reacting with a state of anxiety. Reactive anxiety is characterized by tension, restlessness, and nervousness. Very high reactive anxiety causes disruption of attention, and sometimes fine coordination. Very high personal anxiety directly correlates with the presence of neurotic conflict, emotional, neurotic breakdowns and psychosomatic diseases.

However, anxiety is not an inherently negative phenomenon. A certain level of anxiety is natural and must-have feature active personality. At the same time, there is an optimal individual level of “useful anxiety.”

The self-esteem scale consists of two parts, separately assessing reactive (RT, statements No. 1-20 - Appendix No. 1) and personal (LT, statements No. 21-40 - Appendix No. 2) anxiety.

Personal anxiety is relatively stable and is not related to the situation, since it is a personality trait. Reactive anxiety, on the contrary, is caused by a specific situation.

RT and LT indicators are calculated using the formulas:

PT=?1 - ?2 + 50,

where?1 - the sum of crossed out numbers on the form for points 3, 4, 6, 7 9, 13, 14, 17, 18; ?2 - the sum of the remaining crossed out numbers (items 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 19, 20);

LT = ?1 - ?2 + 35,

where?1 is the sum of crossed out numbers on the form for points 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 37, 38, 40; ?2 - the sum of the remaining crossed out numbers (points 21, 26, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39).

When interpreting, the result can be assessed as follows: up to 30 - low anxiety; 31-45 - moderate anxiety; 46 or more - high anxiety.

Significant deviations from the level of moderate anxiety require special attention; high anxiety implies a tendency for a person to develop a state of anxiety in situations where his competence is assessed. In this case, the subjective significance of the situation and tasks should be reduced and the emphasis should be shifted to understanding the activity and creating a sense of confidence in success.

Low anxiety, on the contrary, requires increased attention to the motives of activity and an increased sense of responsibility. But sometimes very low anxiety in test scores is the result of an individual’s active repression of high anxiety in order to show himself in a “better light.”

The scale can be successfully used for the purposes of self-regulation, guidance and psychotherapy. correctional work.

2.2 Analysis of the results of psychodiagnostics of elderly people in the Center for Social Security in the city of Narimanov

35 people took part in the survey and subsequent psychodiagnostic test - visitors to the Narimanov center: 11 men and 24 women. All visitors are pensioners due to age or health reasons. 7 (20%) of the people surveyed are of late senility (up to 85 years), 17 (48%) are of senile age, 11 of the pre-senile period (31%), there are almost no visitors at the age of decrepitude. 96% of visitors to the center are disabled people of group II. 54% of older people are single, 46% have close relatives (children, spouses). 31% of visitors have less than secondary education (grades 3-8), 48% have secondary or specialized secondary education, and 18% have higher education.

The results obtained using the “Self-esteem and anxiety assessment scale” technique can be presented in the form of table 2. 1.

Table 2.1 Results of a psychodiagnostic study in the Center for Social Security in the city of Narimanov

Anxiety scale	Anxiety level

General anxiety
Situational anxiety
Personality anxiety

Let's present the obtained data in the form of a diagram.

Rice. 2. 1. Results of a psychodiagnostic study in the Center for Social Security in the city of Narimanov

Individuals classified as highly anxious tend to perceive a threat to their self-esteem and functioning in a wide range of situations and react with a very pronounced state of anxiety. If psychological test expresses a high level of personal anxiety in the subject, this gives reason to assume that he will develop a state of anxiety in a variety of situations, especially when they relate to the assessment of his competence and prestige.

Individuals with high anxiety scores should develop a sense of confidence and success. They need to shift the emphasis from external demands, categoricalness, and high significance in setting tasks to meaningful comprehension of activities and specific planning by subtasks. For low-anxiety people, on the contrary, it is necessary to awaken activity, emphasize the motivational components of activity, arouse interest, and highlight a sense of responsibility in solving certain problems.

The problem of aging has occupied man since ancient times.

A comparison of various age classifications gives an extremely varied picture in determining the boundaries of old age, which range widely from 45 to 70 years. It is characteristic that in almost all age classifications of old age one can see a tendency towards its differentiation into subperiods. It should be taken into account that with its onset the aging process does not end, it continues, and there are large differences between aging people.

The solution to the problem of sociocultural development of older people in the modern social context must be sought in the sphere of leisure. This is due to the fact that in old age, in most cases, the structure of life changes. Due to the early termination of work, the educational and professional labor spheres may completely drop out of it, and the household sphere may be significantly reduced due to progress in medical and consumer services. All this leads to a significant increase in the amount of free time.

Changes in psychosocial status in old age differ from previous ones primarily in the narrowing of the range of possibilities, both physical and social; and consists of several stages: old age, retirement, widowhood. Life satisfaction and successful adaptation to old age depend primarily on health. The negative effects of poor health may be mitigated by mechanisms of social comparison and social integration. Also important role play financial situation, orientation to the other, acceptance of change. The reaction to retirement depends on the desire to leave work, health, financial situation, the relationship of colleagues, as well as the degree to which care is planned. Widowhood typically brings loneliness and unwanted independence. At the same time, it can give a person new opportunities for personal growth. At the same time, the meaning a person attaches to ongoing events is often more important than the events themselves.

The psychological changes that occur during the aging process make it a priority to study their dynamics and the characteristics of the social behavior of the elderly. Since one of the leading mechanisms ensuring the integrity of the individual and the predictability of its activities is social adaptation, this problem comes to the center of research interests.

There are many conflicting opinions on the issue of changing the personality of old people. They reflect different views of researchers on the essence of aging life and on the interpretation of the concept of “personality”. Some authors deny any significant personality changes in old age. Others consider all somatic and mental changes, and old age itself, to be a disease (Parchen et al.) They explain this by the fact that old age is almost always accompanied by various ailments and always ends in death. This extreme points There are many more options available.

The noted changes are not equally characteristic of all people in old age. It is well known that many people retain their personal characteristics and creative abilities into old age. Everything petty and unimportant disappears, a certain “enlightenment of the spirit” sets in, they become wise.

A person’s personality changes as he ages, but aging proceeds differently, depending on a number of factors, both biological (constitutional personality type, temperament, state of physical health) and socio-psychological (lifestyle, family situation, availability spiritual interests, creative activity).

An important place when studying the influence of the aging process on mental processes is given to memory. The weakening of basic memory functions does not occur evenly. Mainly memory for recent events suffers. Memory for the past declines only in old age.

To study the degree of adaptation in old age, you can use the diagnostic method of socio-psychological adaptation by K. Rogers and R. Diamond. This technique belongs to the class of questionnaires. The questionnaire contains statements about a person, about his lifestyle: experiences, thoughts, habits, style of behavior.

After reading or listening to the next statement of the questionnaire, the subject must evaluate to what extent this statement can be attributed to him on a six-point scale. Based on the analysis of the results, three experimental groups of subjects are distinguished:

1. Pensioners with a high level of adaptation (group A)

2. Pensioners with an average level of adaptation (group B)

3. Pensioners with a low level of adaptation (group C)

To study self-awareness:

Methodology "Personality Differential" (LD) (adapted at the V.M. Bekhterev Research Institute)

The LD technique was developed on the basis of the modern Russian language and reflects the idea of personality structure that has formed in our culture.

21 personality traits were selected in LD. Subjects are asked to rate themselves on selected personality traits. The selected features most characterize the poles of the three classical factors of the semantic differential: Evaluation, Strength, Activity.

Data obtained using a personality differential reflect a person’s subjective emotional and semantic ideas about himself.

To study the motivational-need component of personality, you can use the method of unfinished sentences. The subjects are asked to complete the sentences. These sentences can be divided into groups that characterize, to one degree or another, the system of relations of the subject to the future, to the past, to retirement, to old age, to relatives.

For each group of sentences, a characteristic is displayed that defines this system of relations as: positive, negative, indifferent.

To study the motive of affiliation, you can use the “Acceptance of Others” scale of the SPA methodology. This scale calculates the “Acceptance of Others” indicator.

When studying the emotional sphere of a person, the following methods can be used:

“Emotional Comfort” scale from the K. Rogers and R. Diamond questionnaire.

The “emotional comfort” indicator is calculated, which includes results on two scales: emotional comfort, emotional discomfort.

Based on the analysis of this indicator, 3 degrees of emotional comfort are distinguished: high, medium, low.

The data obtained during the research make it possible to identify the personality characteristics of an elderly person that ensure successful adaptation in the post-work period (features of self-awareness, motivational-need and emotional spheres of the individual).

Conclusions on Chapter II

Thus, on the basis of the “Center for Social Services for the Population of Narimanov”, a psychodiagnostic study was conducted using the “Self-esteem and anxiety assessment scale (C. Spielberger)” method.

The experiment involved 35 elderly people visiting the Narimanov Social Services Center.

As a result, on all anxiety scales, the highest indicators are the average level of anxiety (from 61.5 to 88%).

To study the personality characteristics of the test subjects in the experimental groups in the Narimanov center, the following methods can be used:

· Methodology "Personal Differential" (LD) (adapted at the V.M. Bekhterev Research Institute)

· “Emotional Comfort” scale of the K. Rogers and R. Diamond questionnaire.

CONCLUSION

In world psychology, there are several main areas of research on adults and older people.

The main direction is associated with the development of experimental research, which aims to understand how and what develops in the human psyche in the late period of his life. The efforts of researchers are aimed at measuring the social intelligence and wisdom of people of this age stage. This approach is essentially psychometric, carried out using a battery (complex) of standardized tests; The procedure is carried out under strict control and is aimed at identifying individual differences, levels of performance of cognitive stimulus material. These studies are longitudinal in nature and are important for gaining knowledge about the “intelligence” of older people; about the role of social knowledge and skills, as well as their connection with real life. Knowledge about the patterns of development and personality structure serves as a starting point in the design and application of psychodiagnostic methods, as well as in the interpretation of psychodiagnostic information.

A psychodiagnostic study conducted at the Public Service Center using the “Self-esteem and Anxiety Assessment Scale (C. Spielberger)” method showed that only 4% of those studied had a high level of general anxiety. This indicator is quite positive for older people.

A conclusion was written for each subject, which included an assessment of the level of anxiety and, if necessary, recommendations for its correction. Thus, individuals with a high anxiety score should develop a sense of confidence and success. They need to shift the emphasis from external demands, categoricalness, and high significance in setting tasks to meaningful comprehension of activities and specific planning for subtasks. For low-anxiety people, on the contrary, it is necessary to awaken activity, emphasize the motivational components of activity, arouse interest, and highlight a sense of responsibility in solving certain problems.

In this work, an analysis of the literature on the problem of psychodiagnostics of elderly people was carried out, and an attempt was made to study the personality characteristics of elderly people.

During the research process, the set goal was achieved, problems were solved, and the hypothesis was confirmed.

Taking into account the results obtained, recommendations were developed aimed at improving psychodiagnostic studies conducted on the basis of the study.

LIST OF REFERENCES USED

1. Alexandrova M.D. Domestic studies of social aspects of aging // Psychology of old age and aging: Reader / Comp. O.V. Krasnova, A.G. Leaders. - M.: Academy, 2007. - 416 p.

2. Bodalev A.A., Stolin V.V., Avanesov V.S. General psychodiagnostics. - St. Petersburg: Rech, 2006. - 440 p.

3. Galaganov V.P. Organization of work of bodies social security. - M.: Academy, 2005. - 140 p.

4. Glukhanyuk N.S., Gershkovich T.B. Mechanisms of formation of tolerance to aging in the conditions of modern Russia. Ekaterinburg: UrSU, 2002. - 164 p.

5. Kozlov A.A. Theories and traditions of Western social gerontology // Psychology of old age and aging: Reader / Comp. O.V. Krasnova, A.G. Leaders. - M.: Academy, 2007. - 416 p.

6. Krasnova O.V. Memories of old people: storytelling, biography and life review therapy // Psychology of maturity and aging. 2002. No. 1. - P. 5-9.

7. Krasnova O.V. Workshop on working with older people: experience from Russia and Great Britain. - Obninsk: Printer, 2010. - 231 p.

8. Krasnova O.V., Leaders A.G. Social Psychology old age: Proc. allowance. - M.: Academy, 2008. - 288 p.

9. Liberman Ya.L., Liberman M.Ya. Progressive methods of motivating life activity during late adulthood. - Ekaterinburg: Bank cult. inform., 2006. - 102 p.

10. Maksimova S.G. Socio-psychological adaptation: features of formation and development in elderly and senile people. - Barnaul: Alt Publishing House. University, 2009. - 145 p.

11. Maksimova S.G. Socio-psychological characteristics of late-life personality. - Barnaul: Alt Publishing House. University, 2008. - 99 p.

12. Malkina-Pykh I.G. Crises of old age. - M.: Eksmo, 2005. - 368 p.

13. Mardakhaev L.V. Social pedagogy: Textbook. - M.: Gardariki, 2006. - 269.

14. Nikishina V.B., Vasilenko T.D. Psychodiagnostics in the system of social work: A textbook for universities. - M.: Vlados, 2004. - 208 p.

15. Pisarev A.V. Elderly people in the social structure of modern Russia. - M.: TsSP, 2007. 246 p.

16. Workshop on developmental psychology / Ed. L.A. Golovey, E.F. Rybalko. - M.: Rech, 2008. - 704 p.

17. Problems of old age: spiritual, medical and social aspects: Sat. works / Ed. A.V. Flint. - M.: St. Demetrius School of Sisters of Mercy, 2007. - 256 p.

18. Human psychology from birth to death / Ed. A.A. Reana. - M.: Prime-Eurosign, 2010. - 656 p.

19. Social gerontology: modern research. - M.: RAS, 2008. - 259 p.

20. Social gerontology: Textbook. allowance. - Saratov: SSTU, 2010. - 346 p.

21. Social work: theory and practice / Rep. ed. D.P.N. E.I. Kholostova. - M.: INFRA, 2006. - 264 p.

22. Strashnikova K.A., Tulchinsky M.M. Social and psychological assistance and support for the elderly in a cultural environment - M.: Academy, 2005. - 281 p.

23. Stewart-Hamilton Ya. Psychology of aging: Transl. from English. - 3rd international. ed. - St. Petersburg: Peter, 2005. - 256 p.

24. Kholostova E.I. Social work with older people: Proc. allowance. - 2nd ed. - M.: Dashkov and K, 2008. - 295 p.

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Posted on Allbest

Psychodiagnostics is a branch of psychology that studies methods for determining the psychological characteristics of a person with the goal of the most complete description.

Psychodiagnostics is a branch of psychology,
studying methods for determining psychological
characteristics of a person with the aim of the most complete
revealing his inner potential in all
spheres of life.

The role of psychodiagnostics in the study of older people

Feature
and personalities
elderly
person
Studying
degrees
adaptation
and in
elderly
age
Grade
age
changes
And
age
differences.
Role
psychodiagnostics in
research
old people
Revealing
violations
mental
processes
Revealing
relationship
elderly
person to
this
period
own life

Difficulties in diagnosing older people.

– diagnostics of elderly people,
when age changes
health and mental conditions
approaching pathological;
– illiteracy and low
education;
– perception of older people
research as formal
an exam or a visit to the doctor;
– features of behavior strategy
elderly people in situation
diagnostics

Older people often have sensory deficits, which leads to two problems:

– diagnostic situation
requires good
ability to see and
hear, so you need
encourage older people
use glasses and
hearing aids,
if necessary.
– very few tests
specially designed
for people of late
age, having
visual and hearing impairments.

To old people
more is needed
time for
adaptation to
interview situations
or testing.
This adaptation
necessary for
in order to
interviewee
Human
felt like
calm and
casual.
Survey situation
requires
atmosphere
mutual trust and
cooperation, cooperation
therefore for the elderly

Psychodiagnostics of older people is most often carried out using the following methods:

Methodology for diagnosing socio-psychological adaptation
K. Rogers and R. Diamond
Self-esteem and anxiety scale (C. Spielberger)
Methodology “Affiliation Motivation” (A. Mehrabian and M. Sh.
Magomed-Eminov).
Test "Egocentric associations"
Methodology “Tendency to Loneliness”
Study of Wisdom (P. Baltes and others)

Methodology for diagnosing socio-psychological adaptation by K. Rogers and R. Diamond

Methodology for diagnosing socio-psychological adaptation by K. Rogers and
R. Diamond
Methodology
determines the level
formation
socio-psychological
personality adaptation.
In the questionnaire
contained
statements about
person - his
experiences, thoughts,
habits, style
behavior. All these
statements
the subject can
correlate with

Self-esteem and anxiety scale (C. Spielberger)

The test is reliable and
informative
way of self-assessment of level
anxiety at the moment
moment (reactive
anxiety as a condition)
and personal anxiety
(as stable
characteristics of a person).
Personality anxiety
characterizes sustainable
tendency to perceive
a wide range of situations like
threatening, react to
such situations are the state
anxiety. Reactive
anxiety
characterized

Methodology “Affiliation Motivation” (A. Mehrabian and M. Sh. Magomed-Eminov).

Methodology “Affiliation Motivation”
(A. Mehrabian and M. Sh. MagomedEminov).
Intended for
diagnostics of two
generalized
sustainable
motivators,
included in
structure
motivation
affiliations, –
aspirations for
acceptance (SP) and
fear of rejection
(SO).

Test "Egocentric associations"

The test determines the level
egocentric orientation
personality of an elderly person.
The index is determined
egocentrism, by which one can
judge egocentric or
non-egocentric
personality orientation
test subject.
The egocentrism index is determined
by the number of proposals, in
which have a pronoun
first person singular
numbers, possessive and
proper pronouns,
formed from it (“I”, “me”,
“my”, “mine”, “by me”, etc.).

Methodology “Tendency to Loneliness”

Under the penchant for
loneliness is understood
avoidance
communication and being outside
social communities
of people.
The text of the questionnaire consists
out of 10 statements.
The more
positive sum
points, the more
expressed desire for
loneliness. At
negative amount
points such a desire
he is missing.

Study of Wisdom (P. Baltes and others)

In order to evaluate
amount of knowledge related to
wisdom, P. Baltes
suggested to the elderly
resolve dilemmas.
Reflections
write down
decipher and
assessed based on
how much they
contained five main
knowledge criteria,
related to wisdom:
actual (real)
knowledge, methodological
knowledge, life
contextualism,
value relativism
(relativity
values), as well as

The causes and manifestations of depressive disorders are characterized by a variety of symptoms. The sooner depression is diagnosed and its symptoms are differentiated, the more effective treatment will be.

According to WHO statistics, 400 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Residents of large cities are susceptible to the disease: the high pace of life, constant stress, and poor environmental conditions depress the psyche and lead to persistent nervous disorders and concomitant diseases.

In the absence of proper treatment, the disease can become chronic, and in some cases lead to fatal outcome. Therefore, it is very important to make a correct diagnosis in time and begin appropriate treatment.

The importance of correctly diagnosing depression

The importance of promptly identifying depression is due to the fact that the disease progresses rapidly and:

promotes the development of somatic diseases or worsens the course of existing ones;
reduces adaptive capabilities and quality of life;
contributes to the development of suicidal tendencies.

Diagnosis is based on identifying patient complaints, collecting anamnesis of life and diseases. An objective diagnosis allows you to determine the nature of the disorder and select the correct comprehensive treatment for the disease.

Making a diagnosis begins with asking the patient about not only mental complaints, but also physical manifestations of the disease. Typically, a person complains of depression, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, and sleep disturbances.

To quickly assess the degree of mental disorder, and subsequently the effectiveness of prescriptions, a psychiatrist most often uses the Beck or Zung scale. To exclude physical causes in the development of the disease, consultations with other specialists may be necessary: a neurologist, therapist, endocrinologist, psychologist.

Recognition criteria and their assessment

In the elderly

In older people, nervous disorders acquire an “age-related” coloration. Along with the characteristic symptoms, hypochondriacal and delusional syndromes are present.

Manifestations of excessive anxiety can reach a high degree of agitation (moans, monotonous lamentations, repetition of short remarks: “everything is lost,” “I’m dying,” etc., wringing of the hands). Increased motor activity may alternate with complete stupor.

Treatment of older people requires special attention:

Patients are not recommended to change their home environment; if possible, they should be kept active and communicate as much as possible.
When selecting medications, the state of the cardiovascular system and cerebral vessels is taken into account.
Very important proper nutrition, vitamin intake and personal hygiene.
In combination with drug treatment, psychotherapy is carried out with the involvement of family members.

In children and adolescents

Signs of depression in adolescence mainly manifest as changes in behavior and activity. Children become touchy, irritable, withdrawn. Interest in games and activities decreases, studies fade into the background.

Adolescents show aggressiveness and a tendency to behave inappropriately. Young people may have complexes about their appearance and accuse themselves of being useless and limited.

Often, a search for the meaning of life begins, bordering on phobia and the inability to receive positive emotions from communicating with friends, playing sports or watching a movie.

It should be noted that depression often affects capable, talented children, with a fine mental organization and a heightened sense of justice. In these cases, it is impossible to do without medical help and, therefore, if you notice some oddities in the child’s behavior, you need to visit a specialist.

Postpartum depression

A depressed mood that occurs during the postpartum period occurs in 15% of the fair sex. Risk factors include women who have previously experienced depressive symptoms, as well as women exposed to domestic violence.

Postpartum stress is clinically manifested by standard symptoms:

apathy;
loss of appetite;
increased level of anxiety;
lack of interest in the newborn.

In this case, there is a standard set of tests to make a diagnosis, but the main sign is the development of depression within 6 to 7 weeks after birth. Effective treatment consists of a combination of psychotherapeutic methods and appropriate drug therapy.

Physical signs

Somatic disorders are part of the manifestation of depressive conditions.

Instability of the respiratory and cardiovascular system. Patients complain of weakness and profuse sweating, severe headaches, and a burning sensation in the heart area. Tachycardia and respiratory rhythm disturbances may occur periodically.
Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. Depression can provoke gastritis, biliary dyskinesia, and colitis. An important symptom is irritable bowel syndrome.
Various disorders of the genitourinary system. Patients experience increased urination, decreased libido, or no desire for the opposite sex at all.
Depression can manifest itself as allergic reactions: neurodermatitis, urticaria, bronchial asthma.
Neuralgic option. Very often one can observe complaints of pain of various localizations:

toothache;
neuralgia;
back pain.
muscle twitching, various tics and spasms.

A combination of signs of physical disorders may indicate the presence of a disease and the need to consult a specialist.

Techniques

Laboratory

In the treatment of depression great importance have laboratory tests that complement psychiatry and instrumental examinations.

During a clinical examination, general and biochemical tests of blood and urine, and sometimes a study of cerebrospinal fluid, are prescribed. Immunological and hormonal statuses are also examined.

The tests make it possible to assess the condition of the patient’s systems and organs and are used by the doctor to monitor the patient’s condition and the effectiveness of the treatment.

Differential

Differential diagnosis is used for non-pathological cases of the disease in mental health healthy person and is carried out to exclude serious somatic disorders and collect anamnesis.

For this purpose, special questionnaires are used, the so-called Zung and Beck scales, which allow assessing the degree of pathology and monitoring the treatment process.

Testing identifies two dozen factors that determine the level of depression. The high sensitivity of questionnaires makes it possible to avoid wasting time; Taking into account other diagnostic methods, make a correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate therapy.

Helping a specialist identify depressive conditions

If you notice signs of depression, you should definitely consult a doctor. Otherwise, the disease may develop into a stable form and serve as a catalyst for the exacerbation of other health problems.

The patient’s participation in the diagnosis—a detailed description of his condition—will help the doctor select treatment correctly and as quickly as possible. Keep a diary and record the slightest changes in your mood and well-being.

Only close contact between the doctor and the patient will speed up the exit from the depressing state. It is necessary to take an active part in the treatment process. Exercising, a healthy lifestyle, a balanced diet and following the recommendations of a specialist will help you get out of the swamp of depression in a short time.

Video: Effective treatment method

INTRODUCTION

GENERAL INTRODUCTION ABOUT PSYCHODYAGNOSTICS

1 Concept and tasks of psychodiagnostics

2 Concept and tasks of psychodiagnostics

PSYCHODYAGNOSTICS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE

1 Work of a psychologist with older people in a social service center

2 Psychological status of an elderly person as a component of comprehensive rehabilitation

CONCLUSION

LIST OF REFERENCES USED

INTRODUCTION

Relevance of the topic. In the population not only of our country, but also of the whole world, the proportion of elderly people has been increasing over the past decades. This demographic process, characteristic of industrial developed countries, has profound social and economic consequences. The socialization of a person in any society takes place in conditions characterized by the presence of numerous dangers that have an impact on Negative influence on the development of the individual. Therefore, objectively, part of the population becomes or may become a victim of unfavorable conditions of socialization.

In old age, the psychological characteristics of a person’s personality are formed, which must be taken into account when developing and implementing individual rehabilitation programs. At this age, a rigid internal order of the personality structure takes shape, and people react differently to their internal difficulties. Some older people, denying the existence of problems, suppress their aspirations that cause them discomfort and reject them as unrealistic and impossible. Adaptation in this case is achieved due to the position of the level of aspiration. Negative side is the denial of what requires effort. An older person can gradually get used to this orientation, truly abandon what is necessary and act as if the need does not exist.

From the point of view of humanistic psychology, the most important condition for self-realization (at any age), personal growth and mental health is a person’s positive acceptance of himself, which is possible only with unconditional positive acceptance from significant others. Apparently, for older people, self-acceptance is associated with unconditional positive acceptance of their life path (family, profession, leisure, life values, etc.). For most older people, the possibilities of making any serious changes in life have practically been exhausted. But old man can work endlessly on himself in an ideal way, internally. This is precisely where he needs psychological help; his leading activity is the internal work of accepting his life path. We must not forget that older people are “keepers of the fire”, bearers of moral norms and values of society. It is not for nothing that support for and respect for the elderly prevailed in advanced cultures.

Psychological processes, although somewhat rigid in old age and slightly slowed down compared to adulthood, still provide the necessary level of vital activity. Mental capacity among older people is much higher than is commonly believed. In everyday life, older people with favorable aging are able to find solutions to conflict and difficult life situations.

In order to find out the needs for psychological help and the availability of psychological resources among older people, various studies are being conducted.

Practical psychodiagnostics is a very complex and responsible area of professional activity for psychologists. It requires appropriate education, professional skills and can affect the destinies of people.

Theme development. This topic is not well developed in the works of domestic scientists and researchers. The study of the mechanisms of mental life in old age is just beginning in full, but the first works show that this path will not only make it possible to better understand the causes of deviations, but also help in their correction, accelerate and optimize the adaptation of older people to a new age period, and also to at least partially overcome those negative factors, which are associated with a negative assessment of one’s life path.

Purpose of the course work- consider psychodiagnostics of older people.

Based on the given goal, the following were identified tasks:

study the concept and tasks of psychodiagnostics;

consider psychodiagnostic methods;

using the example of a gerontological center to reveal the psychological status of an elderly patient as a component of comprehensive rehabilitation;

analyze the work of a psychologist with older people in a social service center.

Object of course work -general psychology

Item -psychodiagnostics of older people.

When writing the course work, monographs by the authors, textbooks and teaching aids, materials from periodicals “Psychology of Maturity and Aging”, “Questions of Psychology”, “Psychological Journal”, “Social Service Worker”, Social Services”, etc. were used.

The course work consists of an introduction, two chapters, and a conclusion. At the end of the work there is a list of references used.

1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ABOUT PSYCHODYAGNOSTICS

The question of “who is who” is the first question that a psychologist asks himself when starting to work with a client. One of the areas of psychological science - psychodiagnostics - will help to understand and determine the unique personal characteristics of the client, his abilities and motives for actions.

The word “psychodiagnostics” literally means “making a psychological diagnosis,” or making a qualified decision about the current state of a person as a whole or about any particular psychological property.

The term under discussion is ambiguous, and in psychology, there are two understandings of it. One of the definitions of the concept “psychodiagnostics” refers it to a special area of psychological knowledge concerning the development and use in practice of various psychodiagnostic tools. Psychodiagnostics in this understanding is a science in line with which the following general questions are posed:

.What is the nature of psychological phenomena and the fundamental possibility of their scientific assessment?

.What are the current general scientific foundations for the fundamental cognition and quantitative assessment of psychological phenomena?

.To what extent do currently used psychodiagnostic tools comply with accepted general scientific and methodological requirements?

.What are the main methodological requirements for various means of psychodiagnostics?

.What are the grounds for the reliability of the results of practical psychodiagnostics, including the requirements for various conditions for conducting psychodiagnostics, means of processing the results obtained and methods for interpreting them?

.What are the basic procedures for constructing and testing scientific methods of psychodiagnostics, including tests?

.Definition professional requirements requirements for a psychologist as a psychodiagnostician.

.Establishing a list of knowledge, skills and abilities that he must have in order to successfully cope with his work.

.Clarification of the minimum practical conditions, the observance of which is a guarantee that the psychologist has truly successfully and professionally mastered one or another method of psychodiagnostics.

.Development of programs, tools and methods for practical training of a psychologist in the field of psychodiagnostics, as well as assessment of his competence in this area.

Both sets of questions - theoretical and practical - closely interconnected.

In practice, psychodiagnostics is used in a variety of areas of activity of a psychologist: both when he acts as an author or participant in applied psychological and pedagogical experiments, and when he is engaged in psychological counseling or psychological correction. But most often, at least in the work of a practical psychologist, psychodiagnostics acts as a separate, completely independent field of activity. Its goal is to make a psychological diagnosis, i.e. assessment of a person’s psychological state.

Accurate psychodiagnostics in any psychological and pedagogical scientific experiment presupposes a qualified assessment of the degree of development of psychological properties.

A specialist engaged in psychological counseling, before giving any advice to a client, must make a correct diagnosis and assess the essence of the psychological problem that worries the client. In doing so, he relies on the results of individual conversations with the client and observation of him. If psychological counseling is not a one-time act, but a series of meetings and conversations between a psychologist and a client, helping him solve his problems and at the same time monitoring the results of his work, then the additional task of carrying out “input” and “output” psychodiagnostics arises, i.e. stating the state of affairs at the beginning of counseling and upon completion of work with the client.

Psychodiagnostics is even more urgent than in the counseling process in practical psychocorrectional work. The fact is that not only the psychologist or experimenter, but also the client himself must be convinced of the effectiveness of the psychocorrective measures taken in this case. The latter needs to have evidence that, as a result of the work carried out jointly with the psychologist, important positive changes have indeed occurred in his own psychology and behavior. This must be done not only in order to assure the client that he has not wasted his time (and money, if the work is paid), but also in order to enhance the psychocorrective effect of the influence.

Scientific and practical psychology solves a number of typical problems. These include the following:

.Determining whether a person has a particular psychological property or behavioral characteristic.

.Determination of the degree of development of a given property, its expression in certain quantitative and qualitative indicators.

.Description of diagnosable psychological and behavioral characteristics of a person in cases where this is necessary.

.Comparison of the degree of development of the studied properties in different people.

All four listed tasks in practical psychodiagnostics are solved either individually or comprehensively, depending on the goals of the examination. Moreover, in almost all cases, with the exception of a qualitative description of the results, knowledge of quantitative analysis methods is required.

Practical psychodiagnostics is a very complex and responsible area of professional activity for psychologists. It requires appropriate education and professional skills. The work of a diagnostic psychologist should be based on the principle “Do no harm!”

Thus, psychodiagnostics is a rather complex area of professional activity of a psychologist, requiring special training. The totality of all knowledge, abilities and skills that a diagnostic psychologist must have is so extensive, and the knowledge, abilities and skills themselves are so complex that psychodiagnostics is considered as a special specialization in work professional psychologist.

1.2 Concept and tasks of psychodiagnostics

In psychology, there are many classifications of psychodiagnostic techniques. The most famous of them can be cited as examples.

Classification by S.L. Rubinstein (1945)

Basic research methods:

.Observation is direct (over a person), indirect (over the products of human activity), external (objective).

.Laboratory experiment (simulated); natural (during professional activities); auxiliary (questionnaire, conversation); on training.

Special research methods:

.Genetic (comparison between different age groups).

.Comparative (between normal and pathological).

Classification B.G. Ananyeva (1977)

Organizational methods:

.Comparative method (comparing differences within the same age).

.Longitudinal (comparison of differences in one particular characteristic within a fairly large period of time).

.Complex method (equality or subordination of individual personality traits is determined, the situation is predicted).

Empirical methods:

.Observational - methods of observation and self-observation.

.Experimental - laboratory, natural, educational, field.

.Praximetric - analysis of activity and its products.

.Modeling (mathematical, cybernetic).

Tests.

.Biographical (analysis of facts and life events).

Methods for processing experimental data:

Quantitative.

Quality

Interpretation methods:

.Genetic - determining patterns of change.

.Structural - the study of relationships between personality traits.

Psychodiagnostic methods are divided into:

according to the form of the response - oral and written;

according to the number of subjects - individual, group;

according to the homogeneity (heterogeneity) of tasks - into homogeneous and heterogeneous;

by orientation - for speed, for power, for diagnosing interpersonal relationships;

according to competence - for single and test batteries;

by purpose - for general diagnostic purposes, professional suitability;

according to the influence of the diagnostician on the results obtained - objective and subjective.

Let us dwell in more detail on the last classification.

All existing methods can be divided into objective and subjective. In objective methods, the influence of the diagnostician on the results is minimal, but in subjective methods, the result directly depends on the experience and intuition of the psychologist.

Objective methods include:

Instrumental, psychophysiological, in which devices determine breathing, pulse, and brain biocurrents.

Considering psychophysiological diagnostic methods, it must be said that this direction arose in our country and has not yet fully entered into world practice psychodiagnostics. The basis of these methods was the branch of psychophysiology, which studies the characteristics of the course of mental processes in humans. These features are expressed in performance, noise immunity, switchability and other indicators of the flow of mental processes.

This type of technique differs from others in that it does not contain evaluations, since it cannot be said that some properties of the nervous system are better and others are worse.

Hardware behavioral, recording reaction speed, accuracy, coordination.

They are the most reliable. But due to their complexity and cumbersomeness, they are used most often in research work and to prove the accuracy of blank methods.

.Questionnaire tests in which an answer is selected from the proposed options, describing the individual’s abilities or preferences.

.Self-assessment techniques in which the subject himself evaluates any objects (himself, his life in the past, in the future, acquaintances, the world around him).

Among the subjective methods there are:

.Observation, survey. They allow you to obtain extensive information about a person, about interpersonal relationships in the family, and at work. Despite their apparent simplicity, these diagnostic methods require special skill.

.Analysis of products of human activity (personal letters, essays, diaries, photographic documents, tools). One way to study such sources is content analysis (content analysis).

.Role-playing games. During the game, a person shows his personal qualities. This gives grounds to make a diagnosis.

.Projective techniques. They are distinguished from others by the non-standard procedure of implementation and interpretation. In order to work well with projective techniques, a practicing psychologist, in addition to a high professional classification, must think creatively, have a special approach to each case, and intuition.

The most common psychodiagnostic technique today is tests. But before moving on to its description, I would like to say a few words about the observation method.

In appearance and behavior, much of what is happening inside is revealed. Behind the barely noticeable movements of the hands, eyes, and body, the diagnostic psychologist must see the character, mood, and aspirations of the person being studied. Clothes, manner of speaking, and the construction of phrases can also say a lot about a person. The task of the observer is precisely to see and generalize this much.

Tests are the most reliable method in psychodiagnostics. A test is a test, a test, a standardized study of various, primarily personal, characteristics of a person, which requires him to perform certain tasks.

According to the form of testing, there are individual and group tests; oral and written; blank, hardware and computer; verbal and non-verbal. Any test consists of several parts. It includes instructions, a test book with tasks, stimulus material (if necessary), a form, and a template for data processing.

The test results are compared with standards, which, in turn, are determined empirically. The norm is considered to be the level of a statistically average person. The results, when compared with norms, are called low, medium or high.

The quality of the test is determined by such characteristics as reliability, validity, reliability.

Thus, psychodiagnostics is a section psychological knowledge and psychological practice, formed at the intersection of fundamental branches of psychology with the practical needs of life.

In the most general sense, psychodiagnostics is the science and practice of making a psychological diagnosis, which means recognizing deviations from normal mental functioning and development, as well as determining the mental state of either a specific object (individual, family, small group), or one or another mental function or process for a specific person.

2. PSYCHODIAGNOSTICS OF ELDERLY PEOPLE

.1 Psychologist working with older people at a social service center

In order for an elderly person to feel like a full-fledged member of society, it is necessary to participate in public life and maintain individual, family and other connections. It is believed that two areas are most important for a person: communication and daily activities. Unfortunately, many older people, for various reasons, are deprived of this. The result is psychological discomfort and a feeling of disorientation in the conditions of modern life. Therefore, to solve psychological problems and age-related difficulties of older people, psychological services are organized in social service centers. The work of a psychologist today is mainly carried out with this category of citizens.

Awareness of a new life status on the eve of old age, understanding the meaning of one’s new life and condition largely determines the structure of the emotional experiences of older people. This entails the tasks that a psychologist working with elderly and elderly people in a social service center must solve:

increase in general mood;

increased self-esteem;

formation of a positive image of old age as a time for inner peace, development, awareness of the importance of the life lived;

discussion of all the good things that exist in the current life situation.

The help of a psychologist involves both individual and group work.

A psychologist, during individual counseling of older people seeking help at the center, reveals to them the concept of life satisfaction in old age, the conditions for achieving it, as well as the conventions of the concept of “happy old age”; he explains to the elderly man that there is another concept - “successful aging”. It assumes permanent application efforts to cope with the loss or lack of expression of many aspects of life inherent in the aging process. The psychologist encourages constant and reasonable activity, adequate physical and mental exercises, which provide the elderly person with the necessary skills to deal with illnesses, contribute to solving the main tasks of age-related development and are accompanied by the experience of satisfaction with life at this age.

There are times when an elderly person needs psychological help, but he does not dare to come to a psychologist due to some internal reasons or barriers. He feels much more confident at home. In this case, the effectiveness of psychological consultation at home will be much higher.

The procedure for age-related psychological counseling is based on the client’s personality characteristics and his strategy for adapting to age-related changes. In order to take into account all the features, a testing procedure is necessary. Another problem may arise here. During the practice of working with older people, it turned out that people over 65-68 years old have certain difficulties. These include increased psychological fatigue, slowness of perception, reaction and thinking, and poor motivation for activity. All this affects the testing data. There are also noticeable changes in emotional sphere: focus on one’s interests, suspicion, as a result of which the results are not always reliable. Therefore, this method of personality diagnosis is carried out extremely rarely. From work experience, it became clear that it is much more effective to use a psychodiagnostic conversation with older people. The main thing is to very delicately guide her in the right direction, and we can learn a lot about a person.

A feature of working with older people is the principle of activation and reactivation of the client’s resources, as unclaimed functions fade away. In this case, the center’s psychologist emotionally influences his clients, saying that every person, despite the apparent weakness, has enormous potential, and he is able to solve his problems, even in hopeless situations. In this case, certain psychotherapy techniques also help.

The main type of psychotherapy for older people is communication with them. This method of working is universal and is used in almost all cases of contact with clients. Any elderly person needs an interlocutor; he expects sympathy, kind words, encouragement, attention and a desire to listen to him. Therefore, you must always find time to communicate, instill hope and faith, and a desire for life.

Psychotherapy can be rational, using the method of persuasion. In this case, the work of the center’s psychologist is reduced to conversations with sick and elderly people, during which the cause of the disease and the nature of the existing disorders are explained. The psychologist calls on the elderly person to change his attitude towards exciting events in the environment, to stop fixating his attention on existing psychological symptoms. The advantage of this method is that the elderly person actively participates in a process that strengthens his intellect and opens up the opportunity to change his views and attitudes. As practice has shown, this method is quite effective in working with elderly people who have recently retired, that is, between the ages of 55 and 65 years.

One more, no less effective technology In the practice of a psychodiagnostician, work with memories may appear. For people who have entered the period of aging, this method is the most effective way to individually motivate life activity and form a tolerant attitude towards aging and the inevitability of death. This method is also universal and suitable for working with completely different older people. This can include both fairly active clients and bedridden patients. This technique has undoubted communicative, diagnostic and correctional value and is aimed at giving a person the opportunity to realize how his past has determined his present and continues to influence him.

When working with memories, as work with older people shows, it is very important to return, and repeatedly, to positive memories of events in which strong personal integrity, self-esteem and psychological health emerged

One of the biggest problems of older people is the loss of meaning in life. The result is depression, aggressive attitude and other behavioral deviations. In this case, logotherapy is used. This technique does not suggest or “prescribe” meanings. It is important to make it clear to the client that it is not a person who poses the question about the meaning of life - life itself poses a question to him, and a person has to constantly answer it, not with words, but with actions.

Training work with older people has a very positive effect.

It is no secret that many people still have a very vague idea of what exactly a psychologist does. People do not always know what a psychological problem is and in what cases the help of a professional is simply necessary. But even when a person has a certain idea of the need for psychological help, there are many subjective factors that block the need to contact a psychologist. In order for psychological services to be in demand, it is necessary that people, including the elderly, know not only about its existence, but also about the very essence of the services that it provides. Without the dissemination of this knowledge, its effectiveness will decrease.

Thus, the task of a psychologist in working with older people is not to perceive them in isolation, outside their life path, but, on the contrary, to understand that their current state is a reflection of a multidimensional, multi-layered and stage-by-stage, ongoing process of personality formation. The most important thing is that every elderly person is a person and as a person has intrinsic value. It is important to convey this to an elderly person so that he understands that a person’s self-worth must be fully preserved and he has a chance to regain lost harmony, and at a higher level.

2.2 Psychological status of an elderly person as a component of complex rehabilitation

Forming sufficient mental flexibility in older people based on an assessment of psychological status allows them to correctly understand themselves and those around them, and promotes adaptation to change. Of particular importance is the mechanism of compensation, primarily compensation for one’s losses - strength, health, status, support group. At the same time, rigidity and switching difficulties, which increase at this age, prevent the development of normal compensation. The obstacle is the narrowing of the social circle, the workload of other family members around, which also does not allow this mechanism to be fully implemented. In this case, we mean the dominance of any one of these mechanisms, which begins to manifest itself in all situations, even those that are inadequate for it. Thus, there appears a reluctance to new contacts, even a fear of them, a desire to isolate oneself from everyone, including close people, emotional coldness, and sometimes hostility towards them. This is associated with touchiness, conflict, and the desire to insist on one’s own in both small and large things. Alienation, withdrawal and aggression, often manifested as destructiveness (for example, participation in rallies, demonstrations), are an important indicator of emotional and personal instability, which led to fixation on one of the unproductive mechanisms of mental functioning.

This course work will examine the psychodiagnostics of elderly patients of the gerontological center “Uyut”.

To study the psychological defenses of elderly patients at the gerontological center, the Plutchik-Kellerman-Conte Life Style Index (LSI) questionnaire was chosen.

psychodiagnostics elderly rehabilitation social

Table 1 - Characteristics of psychological defenses of elderly patients

Psychological defenses% Projection 42.18 Denial 26.64 Rationalization 17.76 Hypercompensation 13.32 Substitution 4.44 Repression 4.44 Regression 2.22 Compensation 2.22

From Table 1 it follows that greatest number of the examined patients have a leading psychological defense based on the principle of projection (42.18%). Its essence lies in the fact that a person alienates unacceptable feelings, desires and even some aspects of personality from himself and attributes them to someone else. Projection is a person's tendency to attribute responsibility to the environment for something that has its origins in himself. People resort to projection when they are faced with the inability to accept some of their needs and feelings, and therefore attribute them to objects in the world around them. A person establishes certain relationships with the world, characterized by increased tension (anger, irritation, fear, interest, admiration, etc.).

In old age, projection often manifests itself as attributing to others negative emotions or character traits that cannot be recognized in oneself, that is, a person who himself has pathological character traits (for example, irritability and resentment) notices them in others.

Projection can be regarded as pathological only if it becomes systematic, if it manifests itself as a constant and stereotypical defense mechanism and occurs independently of any dependence on the actual behavior of other people at a given moment in time. However, healthy projection is necessary: it is what will help you establish contact and understand the other person. You can only imagine how someone else feels by standing in their place. Projects for the future are projections of one's own fantasies.

Denial (26.64% of those participating in the study resorted to it) is a form of psychological defense that is characterized by a refusal to recognize certain events, experiences and sensations that would be painful if they were realized, often by escaping into dreams and fantasies. Often such a mechanism occurs in relation to some chronic or “terrible” diseases. It is easier and less painful to convince yourself that you are not sick than to accept the fact that you have an illness and make efforts to treat it, worry, and be afraid of not recovering. In this regard, older people do not pay enough attention to doctors’ recommendations.

The mechanisms of rationalization, overcompensation and substitution predominate much less frequently. Rationalization (prevalent in 17.76% of those surveyed) is a form of psychological defense characterized by a person’s rational explanation of his desires and actions, which in reality are caused by irrational drives that are socially or personally unacceptable. An example of rationalization would be the exaggeration of existing values in order to discredit an unattainable desire - “a bird in the hand is better than a pie in the sky.” In the early stages of personality development, rationalization is an effective defense mechanism, but in an older person, overly active use of this mechanism can lead to inadequate control of behavior and a lack of correct understanding of oneself in the world.

Hypercompensation is designated by A. Adler as a special compensation, the implementation of which not only gets rid of the feeling of inferiority, but also achieves some result that allows you to take a dominant position in relation to others, that is, if it is impossible, for example, to do hard work on your own at home, but with fine motor skills intact, some pensioners begin to engage in some type of needlework, achieving a high level of skill. Thus, 13.32 of those surveyed have this particular defense predominant.

The remaining psychological defenses - replacement, repression, regression and compensation - are least common among older people.

To study the leading strategy for exiting a conflict, the “Conflict Exit Strategy” technique is used.

Table 2 - Characteristics of “Strategy for exiting the conflict” among patients of the gerontological center

Strategy%Compromise28.86Avoidance28.86Accommodation13.32Competition11.1Cooperation4.44

Of all the examined patients, 28.9% each chose the “compromise” strategy and the “avoidance” strategy as the leading behavior strategy in conflict. A compromise strategy of behavior is characterized by a balance of interests of the conflicting parties at the average level. Otherwise, it can be called a strategy of mutual concession. It not only does not spoil interpersonal relationships, but also contributes to their positive development. Compromise can resolve a conflict situation when the circumstances causing tension change.

The escape strategy (avoidance) is characterized by the desire to get away from the conflict. It is characterized by a low level of focus on personal interests and the interests of the opponent and is mutual. In essence, this is a mutual concession. The strategy is applicable when the conflict is not of significant importance for any of the subjects and is adequately reflected in the images of the conflict situation, or when the subject of the dispute is of significant importance for any of the subjects and is adequately reflected in the images of the conflict situation, or when the subject of the dispute is of significant importance for one or both parties, but the subjects of conflict interaction perceive the subject of the conflict as insignificant. Interpersonal relationships do not undergo major changes when choosing this strategy.

Both of these strategies do not lead to conflict resolution and are only productive in certain situations. However, in this study it is clear that the majority of respondents (57%) choose these two strategies as the most typical strategies for behavior in conflict situations.

Both types of response in conflict are quite “economical” in terms of emotional “costs”. Their predominance can be explained by the high value of established social connections in old age and the weakening of the emotional-volitional component of the personality - there is not always enough volitional effort to achieve the desired goal, so older people resort to strategies that are the least painful and lead to the fastest way out of the conflict.

Adaptation as a way to resolve conflict is preferred by 13.32%. A person who adheres to this strategy also seeks to escape the conflict. But the reasons for “leaving” in this case are different. The focus on personal interests here is low, and the assessment of the opponent’s interests is high, that is, the person who adopts the concession strategy sacrifices personal interests in favor of the interests of the opponent. This strategy gives priority to interpersonal relationships.

Sometimes this strategy reflects the tactics of a decisive struggle for victory. A concession here may turn out to be only a tactical step towards achieving the main strategic goal. A concession may cause an inadequate assessment of the subject of the conflict (underestimation of its value for oneself). In this case, the adopted strategy is self-deception and does not lead to resolution of the conflict. This strategy is characteristic of a conformist personality.

A detailed analysis of data for each elderly person showed that the avoidance strategy is typical for those in whom “repression” and “denial” predominate. The majority of those surveyed - 61.52% with this leading strategy - have a pronounced “repression” mechanism; 30.79% - “denial” and 7.69% - regression. Compromise as a method of conflict behavior is typical for people with the psychological defense “rationalization”; in 90% of those surveyed, this psychological defense is leading.

Another component of psychodiagnostics is the level of hope. Hope is considered as a personality disposition, that is, as a readiness to evaluate the possible, which arises when a person expects some important and difficult to achieve good, as well as a readiness for a consistent behavioral act in order to achieve this good.

When analyzing the choice of behavior strategy in conflict and the level of hope, a connection is also traced - older people who are inclined to achieve what they want most often resort to the strategies of “compromise” (47.74%) and competition (21.7%). With the “avoidance” strategy and with the “adaptation” strategy 13.02% each, with the “cooperation” strategy 4.34%. Those who are equally inclined to plan and achieve their goals more often choose the adaptation strategy - 47.87%, compromise - 28.58%, cooperation and avoidance - 14.29% each. Rivalry is not the leading strategy for behavior in conflict for any of those who plan and achieve their goals to the same extent.

Thus, from the obtained diagnostic data the following conclusions can be drawn:

the leading strategies of behavior in a conflict situation for older people are the strategies of “avoidance” and “compromise”;

The destructive psychological defenses “projection” and “denial” are most pronounced among the majority of respondents;

constructive psychological defenses (“rationalization”, “compensation”, “overcompensation”) are present in only 38%;

Elderly people, who prefer not only to plan, but also to achieve their goals, choose the “compromise” strategy as the main response strategy in a conflict;

older people, who are equally inclined to plan and achieve their goals, more often choose the “adaptation” strategy (47.87%)

To conduct a more complete and detailed analysis of the situation and identify connections between the strategy of behavior in conflict and the leading psychological defense, additional diagnostic data and observations are required. However, from the data obtained we can conclude that the majority of older people have underdeveloped compensatory mechanisms, and therefore are prone to depression, unmotivated aggression, illness and low social activity. For the normal aging process, an adequate and complete type of compensation must dominate, that is, this mechanism must function so that the elderly person does not retreat into imaginary compensation (usually into his illness).

From this point of view, the importance of learning new types of activities, developing creativity, developing a new hobby and any form of creativity becomes clear, so with their help full compensation develops.

CONCLUSION

Thus, as a certain system of applied knowledge, psychodiagnostics allows a practicing psychologist to improve his work with older people, to effectively solve his problems. professional tasks.

Psychodiagnostics can and is used in various areas social practice in the course of counseling and providing psychotherapeutic assistance, to predict the psychological consequences of changes in a person’s environment, when carrying out a variety of types of social work, etc. In each area of social practice where psychodiagnostics is carried out, there are specific conditions for the use of psychodiagnostic tools, specific psychodiagnostic tasks are set, and specific methods are used that form the subject of private or special psychodiagnostics. However, the foundation of any special psychodiagnostics is formed by solutions to more general, in its own way, universal questions that form the subject of general psychodiagnostics.

Such issues include identifying methodological, theoretical and specific methodological principles for constructing psychodiagnostic tools and principles for formulating psychodiagnostic conclusions; development of methods and specific techniques for psychodiagnostics of the most universal objects, such as, for example, personality traits, abilities, motives, consciousness and self-awareness, interpersonal relationships; problem solving.

One of the most important methodological principles on which psychodiagnostics is based and which distinguishes it from scientific research is the following. The research psychologist is focused on searching for not yet established, “unknown patterns” and uses “known subjects” who are still predetermined by some characteristic, deliberately neglecting their individual differences and empirical integrity. For a psychodiagnostician, on the contrary, it is these individual differences and empirical integrity that are the objects of interest and identification; in the process of psychodiagnostics, he is focused on searching for already established, “known patterns” in “unknown subjects.”

The basic requirements for psychodiagnostic tools, for the techniques and methods used for psychodiagnostics can be formulated as follows: the methods used should allow the collection of diagnostic information in a relatively short period of time, compared to the process of its “natural” receipt; this information should be targeted in nature and reflect as fully as possible the very specific properties of the diagnosed object (an elderly person), certain of its features; information must be presented in a form that allows a clear and unambiguous quantitative and qualitative comparison of an individual with other similar objects. Psychodiagnostic information should be useful from the point of view of both constructing a prognosis of development, the dynamics of a condition or situation, and the choice of means of intervention and correction.

Practical psychodiagnostics also involves taking into account the motivation of the subject and knowledge of ways to maintain it; a psychodiagnostician must be able to assess the state of an individual at the time of psychodiagnostics, and must have the skills to communicate information to the individual being examined.

In the context of social work, psychodiagnostics is used to identify the psychological characteristics and conditions of clients of social services. At the same time, psychodiagnostics is aimed at allowing intervention in the client’s social situation in the most useful way for him, taking into account the results of psychodiagnostics.

Psychodiagnostics as a process includes certain steels. At the first stage, it analyzes and, as a rule, reformulates the request received. The psychologist, as it were, makes a kind of translation of the problem declared by the client from the language of everyday, everyday ideas into his own special professional language and makes a psychological diagnosis.

At the second stage, the psychologist formulates the goals and objectives of psychodiagnostics, evaluates and selects methods, techniques, conditions and means of influence on an elderly person, and, if necessary and possible, on the social situation.

At the third stage, the psychologist carries out the influence he has intended, which can occur in various forms: conversation, consultation, game, training, etc.

In this course work, the objects of psychodiagnostics were elderly people.

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