The Effectiveness of Training the Problem Solving-based Cognitive Strategies on depression in elderly women

Depression is a common mental disorder among the older population of the world can have negative effects on their problem-solving ability. In addition, the inability to solve the problems may cause depression in these people. This study investigated the effectiveness of problem-solving cognitive strategies on depression in elderly women. The method of this research includes a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, performing on an experimental as well as a control group. The statistical population of this study was obtained using an accessibility sampling method, including elderly women of age 55-65 years, who were members of cultural centers in the city of Tehran in 2018. In order to create the sample, twenty-four subjects were randomly selected and divided into the experimental and control groups. The experimental group experienced the problem solving cognitive therapy training course, whereas the control group received no intervention. A well-known inventory, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), was used to assess the depression variable among these people. Having been accumulated, the data were analyzed using a univariate covariance method. The results of this study demonstrates a significant difference between the average depression scores of the experimental and control groups. According to the findings of this research, it can be concluded that taking part in sessions of problem solving-based cognitive strategies can diminish negative thoughts, increase optimism and self-efficacy among elderly women, and consequently decreases the depression.