Psych In Your World: Aging and Mental Health

By Jeffrey Buchanan

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The “Psych In Your World” video series features short lectures by psychology professors at Minnesota State University, Mankato on a range of topics connected to psychology. These videos were created as resources for teachers of psychology at all levels. We also provide discussion questions for each video for you to use with your students.

Here, clinical psychologist Dr. Jeff Buchanan discusses research on aging and mental health, and how many stereotypes that we hold about elderly people are wrong.

As you watch the video, think about these questions: 

  • Was any of the content of this video surprising to you (i.e. that older adults tend to have lower rates of mental health disorders)? Why? 

  • Why do you think “pruning” social networks leads to an increase in satisfaction and in positive emotion for older adults? 

Resources

PODCAST: APA'S "Speaking of Psychology" Episode: Stamping out mental health stigma  Listen for new approaches to help improve mental health of older adults and fight age-related stigma 

This lesson plan contains additional discussion questions to go along with this video.

Outreach, PedagogyKarla Lassonde