Relationship of Decisional Conflict About Driving Habits Between Older Adult Drivers and Their Family Members and Close Friends

This study examines the relationship of decisional conflict about driving habits between older adult drivers (>= 70 years old) and their family members and close friends. This secondary analysis utilizes data originating from a multi-site randomized controlled trial assessing the effect of a driving decision aid (DDA) intervention. Decisional conflict about stopping or changing driving habits for drivers was measured with the Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS). Dyadic associations between drivers' and study partners' (SPs') DCS scores were analyzed using an actor-partner interdependence model. Among 228 driver-SP dyads, Dyadic DCS was correlated at baseline (r = .18, p < .01), and pre-intervention DCS was associated with post-intervention DCS (p < .001 for SPs [beta = .73] and drivers [beta = .73]). Drivers' baseline DCS and SPs' post-intervention DCS were slighly correlated (beta = .10; p = .036). Higher decisional conflict about driving among older drivers is frequently shared by their SPs. Shared decisional conflict may persist beyond intervening to support decision-making about driving cessation.

Automated summary

This study examines the relationship between older adult drivers and their family members and close friends in terms of decisional conflict about driving habits. The findings suggest that older drivers and their family members and friends often share decisional conflict about driving, which may persist even after interventions to support decision-making about driving cessation.