Home Adjustment, Mental Efficiency and Depression among the Elderly of Ranchi Town

The study of elders and their wellbeoing is an important field of investigation for social scientists m the present day situation. In the above backdrop, the present study aims to assess the levels of home adjustment, mental efiiciency and depression among the elderly, with an objective to see the correlation between these three psychological variables. The impact of gender, age and education on home adjustment, mental efiiciency and depression was also explored. Adopting a 2x2x2 factorial design, a purposive sample of 120 elderly, stratified randomly on the basis of age, gender and education was selected from the different areas of Ranchi town. Data was collected using standardised measures of home adjustment, mental efiiciency and depression for elderly, h was found that most of theelders were we U adjusted their families with high level of inental efficiency but a moderate level of depression was found among them. Home adjustment was positively correlated with mental efiiciency (r=. 129) and negatively with depression (r=-393). Mental efficiency and depression were correlated negatively (-.003). The mentally efficient and less depressed elders were found to be more adjusted m their families. The ANOVA analysis revealed that the age was a significant factor, affecting mental efficiency, where as education was responsible for better home adjustment and depression. No significant impact of gender was observed.