The primary long-range objective of this research is to increase the understanding of the role of friends in the lives of aged women and men who are adapting to chronic impairment.
The specific aims of the study are to: 1) determine the effect of friendship support on adaptation to vision impairment and psychological well-being; 2) compare the magnitude of the effect of friendship support on adaptation to vision impairment and psychological well-being with the effect of family support on those outcome variables; and 3) compare the magnitude of the effect of friendship support on adaptation to vision impairment and psychological well-being in aged women with the effect of friendship support on those outcome variables in aged men. Participants will be women and men aged 65 and older who have applied to and received services from a community-based vision rehabilitation agency over the last year. Structured personal interviews will be conducted to collect quantitative data measuring the major study variables. Data will be analyzed using bivariate and multivariate techniques and a path model of the relations among the major variables of interest.
| McIlvane, J M; Reinhardt, J P (2001) Interactive effect of support from family and friends in visually impaired elders. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 56:P374-82 |
| Reinhardt, J P (1996) The importance of friendship and family support in adaptation to chronic vision impairment. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 51:P268-78 |
