Psychological Frailty and Mental Health Problems in Older Adults: A Scoping Review
- Author:
Ahmad Zahid MD DAUD
;
Ponnusamy SUBRAMANIAM
;
Nurul Fatin MALEK RIVAN
;
Shyh Poh TEO
;
Moustafa AHMED
- Publication Type:Review Article
- Keywords:
Aged;
Anxiety;
Depression;
Mental health;
Psychological frailty
- From:
Brunei International Medical Journal
2026;22():1-9
- CountryBrunei Darussalam
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background: Frailty is a health condition preceding impairment and disease, resulting in vulnerability and risk of poor outcomes. Frailty is a multidimensional geriatric syndrome encompassing physical, psychological and cognitive components. Psychological frailty refers to reduced emotional resilience, mood stability, and coping capacity. This paper aims to review the current literature on psychological frailty and mental health outcomes among older adults. Methodology : Four electronic databases, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct and Web of science were used to systematically search for studies published between January 2019 and December 2023, that examined the effect of psychological frailty on mental health outcomes in older adults, including depression, anxiety, and overall well -being. Results: There were 154 articles screened, with 7 studies meeting inclusion criteria. All included studies assessed psychological frailty using the Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI), a multidimensional frailty tool with a psychological domain. Psychological frailty, as measured using the TFI, was consistently associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and reduced quality of life. The psychological domain of the TFI demonstrated moderate internal consistency (Cronbach ’s α = 0.712 -0.797). Conclusion: Psychological frailty is a potential risk factor for the development of adverse mental health outcomes in older adults. The use of validated measures, such as the TFI may improve the identification of psychological frailty for early intervention strategies in both community and medical settings to protect older adults ’ mental health
