Clinical Psychologists' Judgments of Older Adult Patients With Character Pathology: Implications for Practice

The most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population is elderly, and an increasing number of older adults are expected to seek psychological services. Concerns have previously been expressed about the impact of psychologists' attitudes toward elderly patients on their clinical practice. This exploratory study examined the diagnostic, treatment, and attitudinal responses of 186 psychologists toward a patient portrayed in a clinical vignette that varied by age (46, 66, 86 years) and pathology (depression vs. depression with borderline personality disorder). Psychologists with specialized gerontological training were more likely to make age-related diagnostic decisions and treatment recommendations.