Cohen-Mansfield J, Werner P, Marx M S
Research Institute, Hebrew Home of Greater Washington, Rockville, MD 20852.
J Am Geriatr Soc. 1990 Jul;38(7):785-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1990.tb01470.x.
This article reports the results of two studies of screaming in the nursing home. The first was a survey study of 408 nursing home residents, which revealed that 25% of the residents screamed at least four times a week. Screaming was associated with cognitive impairment, depressed affect, social networks of poor quality, and severe impairment in the performance of activities of daily living. The second study was an in-depth observational study of five residents who screamed frequently. Residents screamed more often when they were alone in their rooms during the evening hours, suggesting that screaming may arise as a response to social isolation.
