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Art therapy for the prevention of cognitive decline
Abstract
In recent years, non-pharmacological approaches have been introduced for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in an attempt to address cognitive decline and improve cognitive functioning. Art therapy is a widely accepted psychosocial treatment known to engage attention and enhance cognition, and improve mood for persons with dementia. However, research assessing the benefits of art therapy in the MCI population is limited. This study used structured art therapy that was introduced as a 9-month randomized control trial of older adults with MCI (N = 68). The trial involved three arms, art therapy (N = 22), music reminiscence activity (N = 24) and a control group (no treatment; N = 22). Both art therapy and music reminiscence activity were conducted weekly for 3 months and then fortnightly for 6 months. Art therapy comprised of two structured components, physical creation of art pieces and the cognitive evaluation of paintings. The primary outcome, cognitive performance on neuropsychological tests, showed significant improvement in memory domains which were sustained at 9 months with art therapy. Additional improvements were noted in visuospatial abilities, attention, working memory, and executive function.
... обръщане към ръководството за разяснения и препоръки по отношение на професионалните дейности [33]. ...
... Самотата има сериозни последици за когнитивните процеси, емоциите, поведението и здравето [6,14]. Самотата е свързана с понижено самочувствие и ограничено използване на активни методи за справяне [33], а социалната изолация предвижда спад в собствената ефективност [27]. Чувството за самота е свързано до голяма степен и с ниската самооценка, което от своя страна води до поява на чувство за безполезност и ненужност. ...
... Проучване проведено сред 94 възрастни и стари хора над 60 години при които се прилагат на арт-и музикотерапия, се отчита положителното им въздействие при пациенти страдащи от депресивни състояния. Авторите регистрират значително подобряване на качеството на живот на изследваните лица, след прилагането им [33]. ...
... обръщане към ръководството за разяснения и препоръки по отношение на професионалните дейности [33]. ...
... Самотата има сериозни последици за когнитивните процеси, емоциите, поведението и здравето [6,14]. Самотата е свързана с понижено самочувствие и ограничено използване на активни методи за справяне [33], а социалната изолация предвижда спад в собствената ефективност [27]. Чувството за самота е свързано до голяма степен и с ниската самооценка, което от своя страна води до поява на чувство за безполезност и ненужност. ...
... Проучване проведено сред 94 възрастни и стари хора над 60 години при които се прилагат на арт-и музикотерапия, се отчита положителното им въздействие при пациенти страдащи от депресивни състояния. Авторите регистрират значително подобряване на качеството на живот на изследваните лица, след прилагането им [33]. ...
... By serving as an active communication tool (Emblad & Mukaetova-Ladinska, 2021), AT contributes to the reduction of psychological (depression and anxiety) and behavioral symptoms and to the promotion of socialization (Savazzi et al., 2020), selfesteem, and reminiscence (Lin et al., 2021). Recent studies of AT in older people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) reported improvements in general cognitive function (Lee et al., 2019;Savazzi et al., 2020), working and immediate memory (Yu et al., 2021), executive functioning, and psychosocial well-being (Brown et al., 2021). As a result, participants can regain their sense of identity by exploring new skills in a safe space (Emblad & Mukaetova-Ladinska, 2021) that contributes to coping with personal and lifestyle losses (Marco et al., 2021). ...
... In general, AT approaches for people with AD or MCI are conducted with a clear treatment goal and based on structured activities (Lee et al., 2019;Savazzi et al., 2020;Yu et al., 2021). However, Lin et al. (2021) propose that the activities should be in line with the needs presented by older people. ...
... However, Lin et al. (2021) propose that the activities should be in line with the needs presented by older people. Activities proposed in these studies use cognitive evaluation of artworks since artistic creation involve different cognitive processes (Brown et al., 2021;Lee et al., 2019;Savazzi et al., 2020). Furthermore, Lee et al. (2019) included a 5minute mindful relaxation exercise at the start of the session to help participants focus on art activity. ...
This case study describes an art therapy intervention with a client diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease who was coping with grief. The course of fifteen sessions included three phases: body awareness, grief emotions, and grief acceptance. The positive changes parallel ways that art therapy can benefit older adults by promoting communication, accessing memories, reconstructing identity, and supporting creativity.
... While most teachers prefer to stay despiten pandemic challenges, the close gap suggests some are considering leaving. These findings align with earlier studies (Larkin et al., 2016;Lee, 2019) highlighting job satisfaction as a factor for low turnover intention but contrast with pandemic studies (Gadermann et al., 2021) that noted increased turnover considerations due to heightened challenges. ...
... Transformation and Creativity are also noted, with art therapy facilitating personal change and expanding imagination. Additionally, Teamwork and Alertness are enhanced, contributing to better social interactions and mental sharpness (Feen-Calligan et al., 2018;Lee et al., 2019). ...
There is a growing interest in using Artificial Intelligence (AI) led counseling
chatbots. In its early stage, there have been documented concerns about
data privacy, providing inaccurate and culturally insensitive information,
and the inability to create and sustain human-like connections. Current
advancements focus more on enhanced features such as accessibility and
anonymity of use to address recurring issues regarding counseling services
availability, affordability, and stigma in seeking help. All these influenced the
acceptability of use. This study used a quantitative approach specifically the
descriptive comparative research design. An online survey was conducted on
Grade 12 Senior High School and college students (N=2,280) to explore and
verify levels of acceptability and whether or not the demographic variables
can influence these levels. Results reveal that sex, year level, awareness, and
previous experience with AI technology influenced these levels. Implications
for the implementation of counseling services were discussed thoroughly for all
stakeholders to ensure the safety and benefits of all users along with the ethical
use of AI Counseling Chatbot and other emerging related technologies.
... Yap-boz, satranç, kâğıt-kalem aktiviteleri ve resim gibi uygulamaların algılama, hatırlama, karar verme gibi bilişsel işlevler üzerine etkinliğini araştıran çeşitli çalışmalar mevcuttur [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] . ...
... (2019), ılımlı kognitif azalma tanısı olan 60 yaş üzeri bireylerle yürüttükleri randomize kontrollü bir çalışmada, gönüllüleri resim ve galeri ziyareti yapan, müzik eşliğinde fotoğraf anımsama terapisi alan ve kontrol grubu olarak 3 gruba ayırarak 9 ay boyunca izlemiştir. Bilişsel işlevlerin değerlendirildiği nörofizyolojik testlerde resim grubunda kontrol grubuna göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı gelişmeler, müzikle anımsama terapisi grubunda istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olmayan minimal gelişmeler olduğunu saptamışlardır 17 . Yaşlı bireylerle yürütülen başka bir çalışmada da 10 hafta resim yapma ve sergi gezme uygulamasının sonucunda motor ve kognitif işlevlerde hafif düzeyde gelişmelerin olduğu bildirilmiştir 18 . ...
Dünya genelinde nüfus çarpıcı biçimde artmaya devam etmektedir. Bu da bilişsel bozulma ve demans prevalansında kaçınılmaz bir artışa neden olarak, aileler, bakım verenler ve sağlık sistemlerine artan bir yük getirmektedir. Demans, dünya çapında yaşlı nüfus arasında engelliliğin ve bağımlılığın ana nedenlerinden biridir. Bilişsel aktiviteyi artırıcı yöntemler demansa karşı koruyucu faktörler gibi görünmektedir. Demanslı bireyler ve bakım verenleri kolay erişilebilir, kullanıcı dostu uygulamaları kullanarak terapilerini daha rahat ve keyifli bir şekilde alabilir. Teknolojik gelişmeler, yalnızca bakım verenin demanslı bireye bakım yükünü hafifletmekle kalmayıp, aynı zamanda demanslı bireylerin yerinde yaşlanmasını sağlamada potansiyel fayda sağlayabilir. Demanslı bireyler için çeşitli uygulamaların tanıtıldığı bu derleme, demanslı bireylerin bakımından sorumlu olan bakım verenler ve sağlık profesyonelleri için değerli bilgiler sağlayacaktır.
... Another finding of the study is that there was no significant difference in the cognitive levels of the participants. Contrary to this result, there are studies in the literature reporting that art therapy practices contribute to preventing cognitive decline (Mahendran et al., 2018;Lee et al., 2019;Kim, 2021). The possible explanation for this situation may be the short duration of the application of art therapy. ...
... It is thought that similar results can be obtained in longer-term programs. Because structured art therapy practices provide benefits in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment (Lee et al., 2019;Wang, Li, 2016). In addition, art therapy increases the well-being and life satisfaction of individuals diagnosed with dementia (Webb, 2020). ...
The aim of this study is to examine the effects of art therapy practices on self-compassion, positive-negative mood and cognitive function levels in elderly individuals. In the research, a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group was used. The sample of the study consists of 50 elderly individuals who are in the study (n=25) and comparison (n=25) groups. The entire sample lives in a long-term care home and is male. Sociodemographic Information Form, Positive-Negative Affect Scale, Self-Compassion Scale and Standardized Mini-Mental Test were administered to the participants. The Art Therapy Program was applied to the study group by the researchers once a week for a total of 10 sessions (each session 90 minutes). The comparison group was not included in any application. The analysis of the data obtained in this study was made with SPSS 25.0 and Dependent Groups T test and Independent Groups T test were used. As a result of the research findings, it was determined that there were statistically significant differences (p<.05) between the post-test scores of the study and comparison groups. After the Art Therapy Program, the positive affect and self-compassion levels of the elderly individuals participating in the study group increased. No statistically significant difference was found in the cognitive function levels of the participants. There are few quantitative studies on Art Therapy conducted with elderly individuals. The study is important in terms of giving the opportunity to examine the application of Art Therapy on experimental research to improve the lives of elderly individuals. Keywords: Cognitive function, self-compassion, positive-negative affect, art therapy, elderly
... Seifert et al. [25] reported that for individuals with dementia, AT-based interventions improved mental state, concentration, corporeal memory, self-esteem, self-reliance, and physical activity. Mahendran et al. [26] found that older adults with MCI who received AT had better outcomes than those who received usual care, with significant improvements in memory, attention, visuospatial skills, and executive function at 3 months and sustained improvements in memory at 9 months. Additionally, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of retired adults who participated in weekly visual art creation indicated that there was improved brain region interactions (particularly between the frontal, posterior, and temporal brain regions), suggesting that art creation could be an important tool to prevent cognitive decline in older adults [20]. ...
... Although no curative pharmacotherapy currently exists for AD, a growing number of studies have documented the significant benefits of AT-based activities. These activities can increase participants' motivation to engage in targeted cognitive and combined training programs, thereby improving their outcomes, such as communication, attention, pleasure, and neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia and other CIs [15,16,26,46,67]. Art can play a key role in facilitating lifelong learning, in terms of discovering and building new skills and making meaning of experiences, because through art one's past and present thoughts can be combined. ...
Background
Given the aging population worldwide and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been found to be associated with a deterioration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) symptoms, investigating methods to prevent or delay cognitive decline in preclinical AD and AD itself is important. The trial described in this protocol aims to evaluate the effects of a staged integral art-based cognitive intervention (SIACI) in older adults with CIs (preclinical AD [SCD or MCI] and mild AD), in order to gather evidence on the effects of SIACI on cognition and psychological/psychosocial health gains and determine the mechanisms.
Methods
The planned study is a single-center, parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial with allocation concealment and outcome assessor blinding. A total of 88 participants will be randomized to two groups: (i) an intervention group that receives the 16-week, 24-session SIACI program and (ii) a waitlist control group (which will receive the SIACI program after completing the follow-up assessment). Global cognitive function, specific domains of cognition (memory, language, executive function, and visuospatial skills), and other health-related outcomes (quality of life, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and physical activity level) will be measured at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at the 6-month follow-up. Blood biomarkers, event-related potential (ERP)-P300, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data will be collected at baseline and immediately after the intervention to explore the mechanisms of SIACI.
Discussion
The trial will elucidate the immediate and long-term effects of SIACI based on neuropsychological testing and blood biomarkers, and neuroscience involving ERP-P300 and MRI parameters will make it possible to explore the mechanisms of SIACI in older adults with CIs. The results will provide evidence on the effectiveness of an AT-based cognitive intervention, which may delay or even halt cognitive decline in preclinical AD and AD itself.
Trial registration
ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100044959. Registered 03 April 2021.
... a arteterapia, está em ascendência, principalmente diante da preocupação de estarmos vivendo em uma sociedade cada vez mais lançada à medicalização como via de acesso rápido contra a dor. A arteterapia é um tratamento psicossocial amplamente aceito, notadamente aplicável em contextos que envolvem a melhoria da atenção, humor, ansiedade e cognição (Lee et. al., 2019;Shella, 2018), principalmente quando existe algum grau de dificuldade associado à aprendizagem (Lee et. al., 2019). ...
... a vez mais lançada à medicalização como via de acesso rápido contra a dor. A arteterapia é um tratamento psicossocial amplamente aceito, notadamente aplicável em contextos que envolvem a melhoria da atenção, humor, ansiedade e cognição (Lee et. al., 2019;Shella, 2018), principalmente quando existe algum grau de dificuldade associado à aprendizagem (Lee et. al., 2019). ...
A Arte terapia é um método que tem como objetivo proporcionar a saúde mental e sua prática incorpora diferentes linguagens artísticas. No presente artigo, objetivou-se fazer um comparativo entre a experiência do protagonista do filme Como Estrelas na Terra, o portador de dislexia Ishaan, e a também portadora de dislexia Clarice, para entender a importância da arteterapia como aliada na intervenção psicoterapêutica. Objetivamos ainda entender como a institucionalização do sistema educacional atual interfere na educação inclusiva, contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de neurose noogênica em estudantes com dislexia. Nesse contexto, o papel que a família enquanto instituição também é preponderante para promover sensibilização e valorização das formas singulares no processo de ensino-aprendizagem de portadores de dislexia. A partir da proposição da Terapia de Intenção Paradoxal associada aos recursos arte terapêuticos propusemos uma intervenção no caso Clarice, tendo a arte como aliada no alvorecer do sentido da vida. do presente trabalho é potencializar maneiras singulares do processo de livre criação-aprendizagem, sobretudo a partir do desfecho de Ishaan, propiciando mudanças nas esferas afetivas, interpessoais e relacionais de estudantes com dislexia.
... Since holistic approaches to health care have gained more attention than in the past, there is a need for complementary or nonpharmacological approaches to better manage patients' health or symptoms. 15,16,32,41 Moreover, some have argued that current pharmacological approaches can be used in combination with art making to reduce negative consequences (eg, drug interaction and side effects), 30,31,42,43 or enhance health benefits from pharmacological approaches. 4,7,18,31,44 ...
... Instead, we found that art making as a health intervention was indirectly measured by quantifying its efficacy on various health outcomes (eg, psychological or physical symptoms, cognitive functions, well-being, or ill-being). 10,40,41,50,54,55 ...
Art making has been adopted across multiple disciplines as a health intervention. However, our understanding of art making as a health intervention and how it differs from art therapy is still limited. Therefore, we conducted a concept analysis to better understand art making as a health intervention guided by Walker and Avant's approach. We examined 85 studies in which we found 4 defining attributes, 4 antecedents, and physical, cognitive, emotional, and psychological consequences. We suggest several nursing research and practical implications for nurse researchers and clinicians to aid in designing and implementing art making health interventions.
... A previous study (R. Lee et al., 2019) had analyzed the age-and education-normed cognitive scores of the same group of AT participants together with a no-contact control group, across a 9-month intervention period. Despite using the same group of AT participants, the current study makes three additional contributions. ...
... Data from the current study came from two open-label RCTs (Clinical Trial Registry Numbers: NCT02854085 and NCT02286791). The first randomized eligible participants to one of three groups-AT, Music Reminiscence Activity and a no-contact control group (R. Lee et al., 2019), and the second randomized participants to a mindfulness awareness program or an AC group (Klainin-Yobas et al., 2019). Both RCTs had similar assessment and recruitment protocols. ...
Objective
Previous research on art therapy (AT) in cognitive aging has been lacking. AT can potentially engender significant cognitive gains, due to its rigorous cognitive involvement, making it useful to tackle age-related cognitive decline. Along with these cognitive gains, associated neuroplastic changes are hypothesized to arise from AT as well. The current intervention examined the effects of an AT intervention on cognitive outcomes and cortical thickness (CT) among participants with mild cognitive impairment.
Method
Participants were assigned to AT ( n = 22) and an active control group ( n = 27). In both, weekly 45-min sessions were carried out across 3 months. Cognitive assessments and structural magnetic resonance imaging scans were carried out at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Whole brain analyses on CT were carried out. Cognitive outcomes were analyzed using hierarchical linear models.
Results
Significant gains in immediate memory and working memory span were observed in the AT group, relative to the control group. Significantly increased CT in the AT group, relative to controls, was observed in a right middle frontal gyrus (MFG) cluster. Furthermore, CT changes in this cluster were significantly and positively correlated with changes in immediate memory.
Conclusion
These findings highlighted the role of MFG neuroplasticity in enhancing certain cognitive functions in AT. AT is a neuroplastic intervention capable of engendering significant cognitive gains and associated cortical changes in the context of age-related cognitive decline, even when executed as a low-intensity intervention across 3 months. Given the preliminary nature of these findings, future larger sampled studies are needed.
... Estos resultados están en línea con varios estudios que vinculan la arteterapia con la función cognitiva de las personas mayores. Un estudio realizado en Singapur afirmó que las personas mayores que recibieron terapia artística en forma de creación física de obras de arte y evaluación cognitiva de pinturas mostraron un aumento significativo en la función cognitiva (21) . Aparte de eso, una investigación en Tanzania afirma que proporcionar una intervención de terapia de artes visuales puede optimizar la función cognitiva y durar hasta seis meses (22) . ...
Introducción: Los ancianos hipertensos tienen vulnerabilidad a la disminución de la función cognitiva. Este estudio pretende determinar la diferencia entre la terapia reminiscente y la terapia de dibujo artístico sobre la función cognitiva de los ancianos hipertensos. Métodos: En este estudio se utilizó un enfoque cuantitativo cuasiexperimental, con un diseño estático de comparación de grupos, un grupo pre-test y un grupo post-test. Hubo dos grupos de muestra en este estudio, terapia de reminiscencia y terapia de dibujo artístico (32 personas por cada grupo). Se utilizó el instrumento Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) para medir la función cognitiva. Para el procesamiento de los datos se utilizaron las pruebas de Wilcoxon y Mann-Whitney, ya que todos los datos no presentaban una distribución normal. Resultados: Los resultados de este estudio apuntan a que existe una diferencia significativa en la función cognitiva de los ancianos hipertensos antes (20; 16-27) y después (21; 20-30) de la intervención de terapia de dibujo artístico (valor de p = 0,001). Existe una diferencia significativa en la función cognitiva de los ancianos hipertensos antes (20; 16-27) y después (26; 20-30) de administrar la intervención de terapia de reminiscencia (valor de p = 0,001). Sin embargo, no hubo diferencias significativas en la función cognitiva entre los grupos de Dibujo Artístico y Terapia de Reminiscencia (valor p = 0,056). Conclusión: Los resultados de este estudio pueden utilizarse como referencia en la prestación de cuidados de enfermería a ancianos hipertensos para mejorar la función cognitiva con dibujo artístico y terapia de reminiscencia.
... CS is a more general approach that includes activities involving cognitive processes and is often conducted in a social context (García-Ribas et al., 2023;Clare and Woods, 2004). Art-based interventions are another type of cognitive treatment to maintain the cognitive health of older adults or even halt the progression of dementia (Masika et al., 2020;Lee et al., 2019). Art therapy includes various forms, such as music, visual art and drama therapy (Fong et al., 2020). ...
To date, the impact of cognitive therapies on patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been studied in terms of cognition, quality of life and activities of daily living rather than in the context of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS). The objective of this scoping review was to collect evidence that different cognitive therapies affect the NPS of patients with MCI and dementia. A bibliographic search was conducted in the PUBMED, EMBASE, ISI WOS and SCOPUS databases through February 2025. After the elimination of duplicates, a total of 1,854 publications were identified. Among these, 42 articles were included in the analysis. These articles were reviewed by title and abstract, and then the full text was reviewed by two independent researchers with subsequent decisions about conflicts made in consultation with a third researcher. A sample of 4,089 participants was collected. All participants had undergone cognitive training interventions, cognitive rehabilitation, cognitive stimulation, art therapy, reminiscence therapy or psychobehavioural therapy and were evaluated for NPS. Depression was the most commonly analysed symptom (70% of the articles). The types of interventions that improved NPS the most were art therapy and reminiscence therapy (76 and 71% of the articles), whereas cognitive training (43%) was the least effective. While all types of therapy seemed to support the improvement of NPS, art therapy and reminiscence therapy were the most effective, especially for patients with MCI or dementia. However, studies that comprehensively evaluate the effects of cognitive therapy on NPS other than depression are lacking.
... In these cases, the focus shifts towards maintaining cognitive functions and enhancing quality of life through creative expression [46]. Integrating Generative AI into Art Therapy in this context will not only help in preserving cognitive abilities [47] but may also contribute to slowing cognitive decline [48]. Additionally, this combination of Generative AI and Art Therapy holds potential for early detection of dementia. ...
This paper explores the integration of generative AI into the field of art therapy. Leveraging proven text-to-image models, we introduce a novel technical design to complement art therapy. The resulting AI-based tools shall enable patients to refine and customize their creative work, opening up new avenues of expression and accessibility. Using three illustrative examples, we demonstrate potential outputs of our solution and evaluate them qualitatively. Furthermore, we discuss the current limitations and ethical considerations associated with this integration and provide an outlook into future research efforts. Our implementations are publicly available at https://github.com/BFH-AMI/sds24.
... In one randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving healthy community-dwelling older individuals, a 12-week art intervention resulted in statistically signi cant improvements in executive function, cognitive exibility, and life satisfaction (20). In another study on older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an RCT with three groups-an art therapy group participating in a 24-week art intervention comprising art creation and structured art appreciation, a music reminiscence activity group participating in activities combining reminiscence therapy and music, and a control group-revealed that the art therapy group showed signi cant improvement in the memory domain of cognitive function, and that the effect persisted for nine months (21). ...
Background
Japan has one of the foremost aging populations in the world, and from a dementia prevention perspective, effective and easy-to-implement approaches to dementia prevention are becoming increasingly important. Artistic activities have been suggested to improve cognitive function and psychological well-being among older adults. Although visual art therapy has been shown to improve cognitive function in older adults with cognitive impairment, studies targeting healthy older individuals are limited. Furthermore, considering the spread of digital art, incorporating digital devices into art engagement for older adults may improve cognitive function. This study protocol aims to clarify the effects of digital art learning interventions on the cognitive and psychological functions of healthy older individuals, as well as the relationships between drawing movement data and related variables.
Methods
Eighty older adults will be randomly assigned to the digital art group or the control group (1:1). The digital art group will take part in a participatory digital art learning program, with lessons once a week for six months, while the control group will continue their usual daily lives. All participants will undergo cognitive and psychological function tests before and after the intervention. The effects of the program on cognitive and psychological functions, the primary outcome, will be determined by a two-way analysis of variance of the results of cognitive and psychological function tests before and after the intervention. To further clarify the mechanism of intervention effects in the digital art group, the relationship between the test results before and after the intervention and related indicators, such as drawing motion, will be clarified using the structural equation modeling.
Discussion
The study aims to clarify the effects of continuous digital art learning on the cognitive and psychological functions of healthy older individuals. The characteristics of this study are threefold: emphasis on preventive approaches, utilization of digital technology in art interventions for older adults, and utilization of drawing motion data obtained from digital pens in the analysis. The digital art learning developed through this study is expected to enrich the lives of older adults.
Trial registration
This study was registered with the UMINCTR (UMIN000051427) on June 23, 2023.
... Due to not relying entirely on verbal communication, art therapy is a particularly suitable form of psychotherapy for those clients who find verbal expression difficult or who may be looking to expand their ways of communicating thoughts and emotions which are hard to verbalise. Since art therapy has both curative and preventative potential (2)(3)(4), clients who do not have specific psychological difficulties might use art therapy to increase their quality of life and enhance wellbeing. Therapeutic approaches integrating elements of different psychological theories are often considered most suitable in addressing individual clients' needs (5,6), while flexibility and person-centredness are at the core of most art therapists' practice. ...
Introduction
Art therapy, despite being an evidence-based, safe and acceptable intervention, is not widely available to clients in Scotland. Online delivery has the potential to expand the reach and accessibility, but special considerations need to be given to designing successful online art therapy services, due to the unique emphasis on the role of an image and artmaking alongside the therapeutic relationship.
Methods
A pilot online art therapy service was developed and delivered in the Western Isles of Scotland to individual adult clients wishing to increase their psychological wellbeing. This research aimed to assess feasibility and acceptability of the novel service, identify enablers and challenges in setting up and delivering the service, explore participants’ expectations and experiences of art therapy and identify any impacts of the service. Mixed-method evaluation incorporated questionnaires, focus groups, interviews and Audio Image Recordings (AIRs). Findings were grouped into themes across several key areas: service setup, research procedures, intervention design and impacts and insights. Recommendations were developed for the first three areas and the last section presents indications of change and gives voice to client experience primarily.
Results
Online art therapy was described by clients as a judgement-free zone which allowed freedom to experiment, express, feel and immerse themselves in the creative flow. Other benefits included readiness to accept emotions, increased understanding of self and others and being able to see things from a new perspective. Clients recognised the unique nature of art therapy in relation to other psychological treatments and valued the freedom of expression it offered, including the non-verbal.
Discussion
This project demonstrated that online art therapy is not only a feasible an acceptable intervention, but potentially also a powerfully impactful one, capable of instilling a positive change in a surprisingly short period of time. Exploring ways to expand current and introduce new art therapy services is highly recommended. Refinement of an intervention design, tools and research procedures is recommended through further feasibility studies of a larger scale.
... The developed tool helps patients overcome fatigue and stress and better identifies engagement that restores energy and brain capacity (Kaplan 1995). A new randomized clinical trial conducted by Rachael Lee et al. demonstrated that weekly art therapy sessions for 3 months and then fortnightly for 6 months improved memory domains, including attention, working memory, and executive function (Lee et al. 2019). Because cancer patients experience cognitive impairment, it is acceptable that art therapy could improve cognitive function in these patients (Pendergrass et al. 2018). ...
... Over the last few decades extensive research has shown the positive ☆ This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors effects of creative arts therapies on the mental health and well-being of the general public and of varying patient populations (Regev and Cohen-Yatziv, 2018;Reynolds et al., 2000;Slayton et al., 2010). There have been documented benefits of art therapies in the prevention of cognitive decline in adults living with mild cognitive impartment and on the well-being of people living with dementia (Emblad and Mukaetova-Ladinska, 2021;Lee et al., 2019). Creative arts therapies come in many different forms from visual art therapy, music therapy, to dance therapy. ...
There is a growing body of evidence indicating the arts have a role to play in promoting good health and preventing and managing illness. WHO has called for governments to take an intersectoral approach, both within and across traditional areas of policy, to realise the potential of the arts for public health. To explore what global progress is being made towards this aim, we present examples of arts and health policy development from diverse government areas: health, arts, local governments, and cross government. These examples, which have been selected from a scoping review of 172 relevant global policy documents, indicate that many health and arts policy makers view the relationship between arts engagement and improved health in quite general terms, although some are investing in more targeted applications of the arts to address specific public health issues. The most promising and concrete commitments are happening when health and arts ministries or agencies work together on policy development.
... The latter includes various visual art forms such as painting, collage, drawing and clay modelling which prompt creative expression [12]. Art-based intervention is a strategy to maintain the cognitive health of older adults and halt the progression of dementia, even in the preclinical stage characterised by MCI [12,13]. Art-based interventions using creative expression have been proven to promote health, perceived self-worth, sense of achievement and social engagement, which play integrative roles in discovering and developing new skills and making experiences meaningful [14]. ...
Background
Art-based interventions may delay cognitive decline and improve health-related outcomes in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Objective
To examine the effects of the Creative Expressive Arts-based Storytelling (CrEAS) program compared to active and waitlist controls on neurocognitive and other health-related outcomes in older people with MCI.
Design
Three-arm parallel-group, randomised controlled design.
Participants
One-hundred and thirty-five adults with MCI (mean age: 70.93 ± 6.91 years).
Methods
Participants were randomly assigned to intervention (CrEAS, n = 45), active control (n = 45) or waitlist control (n = 45) groups. Interventions were applied once per week for 24 weeks. The primary outcome was global cognitive function; secondary outcomes were specific cognition domains (memory, executive function, language and attention) and other health-related outcomes (anxiety, depression and quality of life [QoL]). All variables were measured at baseline (T0), 24-week follow-up (T1) and 48-week follow-up (T2).
Results
Participants in the CrEAS group showed significantly higher global cognitive function (adjusted mean difference [MD] = −0.905, 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.748 to −0.062; P = 0.038) and QoL (adjusted MD = −4.150, 95% CI -6.447 to −1.853; P = 0.001) and lower depression symptoms (adjusted MD = 2.902, 95% CI 0.699–5.104; P = 0.011) post-intervention at the 24-week follow-up compared with the active control group. At 48-week follow-up, only the Auditory Verbal Learning Test Immediate recall score was significantly improved compared with the active control group (adjusted MD = −2.941, 95% CI −5.262 to −0.620; P = 0.014).
Conclusions
Older adults with MCI who participated in the CrEAS program improved their neuropsychological outcomes and QoL and reduced their rate of cognitive deterioration.
... Cognitive stimulation interventions, including those grounded in creative arts (Cowl & Gaugler, 2014;Emblad & Mukaetova-Ladinska, 2021), rarely show "sustainability" of reported positive effects without additional sessions (Chapman et al., 2004;Orrell et al., 2014). The few reports of improved distal cognitive outcomes following creative arts interventions have tended to be focused on individuals in predementia or mild cognitive impairment stages (Lee et al., 2019;Pongan et al., 2017). ...
Purpose
The arts (e.g., music and painting) have received considerable theoretical and observational support as a cognitive stimulation technique for persons living with dementia (PLWD). However, particularly for visual arts, limited empirical support exists. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to pilot a free-form arts program for PLWD in the context of a cognitive stimulation paradigm and measure subsequent engagement, communication, cognitive–linguistic function, and quality of life.
Method
Three PLWD (one each in mild-to-moderate, moderate, and moderate-to-severe stages) were referred for study participation by a local long-term care facility. A single subject across subjects, ABA reversal design was used to assess intervention effects over a period of 8 weeks, in comparison to an active control condition (cooking activity). Cognitive–linguistic function and quality of life were assessed using standardized measures at baseline and follow-up. Engagement and communication were probed regularly across each study phase.
Results
Significant changes were seen in participants' engagement and communication during painting sessions compared to the control activity. A nonsignificant positive trend was noted for self-rated quality of life from baseline to follow-up. Pre–post testing revealed nominal change in cognitive–linguistic functions.
Conclusions
An arts program led to significant increases in constructive engagement and communication and a trend toward increased self-rated quality of life for the three PLWD. The fact that these changes were not sustained outside intervention sessions (i.e., pre–post testing) is consistent with the need for a larger paradigm shift in which rehabilitation specialists—including speech-language pathologists—better integrate creative, meaningful activities into the everyday lives of PLWD to maximize ongoing engagement, communication, and quality of life.
... Additionally, the majority of art-based studies have mainly focused on the treatment potential for managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, 16 and there are limited studies on the MCI population, despite the possibility of reversing cognitive decline. 17 The food art therapy (FAT) program is a form of art therapy based on Korean food culture, 18 which encompasses creating freeform art works with foods and stimulating movement, the multiple senses, perception, understanding, and judgement. 19 FAT provides an opportunity and supportive environment for participants for self-discovery, self-expression, and improvement in self-esteem as well as enabling individuals to improve their social skills by implementing group activities. ...
Background:
Food art therapy (FAT) has multiple modalities in which cognition, emotion, and social changes are stimulated. The purpose of this study was to design a multimodal approach to a food art therapy (MM-FAT) program and identify its effects on cognitive ability, daily living functioning, depression, self-esteem, self-efficacy, self-expression, and social functioning in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia by employing a mixed methods research design.
Methods:
The participants included 39 patients from a public dementia care centre in Seoul, Korea. The intervention group, which comprised 20 participants, received 12 MM-FAT sessions 3 times a week for 4 weeks, and the control group, which included 19 participants, received usual care. The MM-FAT program was evaluated based on its effectiveness on cognitive, daily living, emotional, and social functioning outcome measures at three time points using repeated measures analysis of variance. Semi-structured interviews (n = 9) were conducted to evaluate the overall experience of the MM-FAT program and its outcomes.
Results:
The findings reveal that MM-FAT has a positive effect on the cognitive, emotional, and social functioning of individuals with MCI and mild dementia. However, there were no enhancements in individuals' daily living functioning, and the lasting effects of the intervention could not be assessed. Cognition and depression increased significantly at the end of the MM-FAT program. Self-expression and self-efficacy were significantly higher in the MM-FAT group than in the control group. The semi-structured interviews revealed improvements in participants' behaviour, communication, and interaction.
Conclusion:
This mixed methods study focused on individuals with MCI or mild dementia contributes to an understanding of the effectiveness of a FAT program employing a multimodal approach. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the study was able to enrich the effects of MM-FAT on cognitive, emotional, and social functioning through qualitative findings.
... Among the hot research population on AT, in addition to children, adolescents and veterans, the elderly has also become the key research population of AT. The positive therapeutic effect of AT on the elderly is mainly reflected in helping them prevent cognitive decline [192], and improving the ability of older survivors to share and process their stories and find meaning in life [193]. ...
Considering the physical, and psychological impacts and challenges brought about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), art therapy (AT) provides opportunities to promote human health and well-being. There are few systematic analysis studies in the fields of AT, which can provide content and direction for the potential value and impact of AT. Therefore, this paper aims to critically analyze the published work in the field of AT from the perspective of promoting health and well-being, and provides insights into current research status, hotspots, limitations, and future development trends of AT. This paper adopts a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative analysis including bibliometric analysis and keyword co-occurrence analysis. The results indicate that: (1) the current studies on AT are mostly related to research and therapeutic methods, types of AT, research populations and diseases, and evaluation of therapeutic effect of AT. The research method of AT mainly adopts qualitative research, among which creative arts therapy and group AT are common types of AT, and its main research populations are children, veterans, and adolescents. AT-aided diseases are trauma, depression, psychosis, dementia, and cancer. In addition, the therapeutic methods are mainly related to psychotherapy, drama, music, and dance/movement. Further, computer systems are an important evaluation tool in the research of AT; (2) the future development trend of AT-aided health and well-being based on research hotspots, could be focused on children, schizophrenia, well-being, mental health, palliative care, veterans, and the elderly within the context of addressing COVID-19 challenges; and (3) future AT-aided health and well-being could pay more attention to innovate and integrate the therapeutic methods of behavior, movement, and technology, such as virtual reality and remote supervision.
... A RCT evaluating the impact of art therapy versus music reminiscence showed improvement in mood and cognition for both groups. But art therapy showed a more remarkable improvement in memory domains compared to music reminiscence [28,29]. Art therapy can engender cortical changes even when executed as a low-intensity intervention over three months [30]. ...
Background
There is a dearth of data on positive psychiatry. There should be a greater emphasis on this aspect of mental health in all countries. The emphasis is not just on treatment but more importantly prevention. Positive psychiatry should involve the wide spectrum of mental health professionals including psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, counselors, art and music therapists, as well as and the public.
Methods
In this review, the author summarizes the Age Well Everyday (AWE) program on dementia and depression prevention for seniors conducted by the Mind Science Center, National University of Singapore. The program which started 10 years ago, is supported by volunteers in the community with funding from philanthropists.
Results
Interventional strategies in the AWE program include health education, diet, exercise, art therapy, music reminiscence, gardening, and mindfulness practice. Randomized controlled trials have been conducted for all the interventional strategies, and the results are presented. This multi-modal program is a community endeavor and is now adopted by many community centers in Singapore.
Conclusion
The AWE program is a nondrug and inexpensive program that can be adapted for other countries. It reflects positive psychiatry and a relevant strategy for the anti-stigma campaign in Singapore. The challenge ahead is translating research results into public health policies.
... who were assessed with a more elaborate battery of neurocognitive assessments, including the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning, Delayed Recall and Recognition Trial, tasks from the Wechsler Adult intelligence Scale-3rd edition (WAIS-III), and Colour Trails Test. In this study, participants in the art therapy group had significant improvement in memory domains which were sustained at 9 months [31]. ...
Background
Non-pharmacological therapies have been shown to be effective in managing challenging behavior in people with dementia. However, the efficacy of art therapy has yet to be determined.
Objective
In the present systematic review, we evaluate the efficacy of art therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention for dementia and examine whether art therapy improves wellbeing and quality of life while decreasing biological and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).
Methods
Research undertaken between 2015 and 2020 was examined and a total of seventeen studies met the specified search criteria, with 853 participants (657 people with dementia, 180 formal and informal carers, and 16 volunteers) involved.
Results
We identified four outcome domains: wellbeing, quality of life, BPSD, and cognitive function. One or more significant outcomes as having an impact on the efficacy of the intervention were reported in 88% (15/17) of the studies, whereas 17% (3/17) demonstrated significant outcomes across quality of life, wellbeing, and BPSD.
Conclusion
People with dementia benefit from art therapy. These interventions when incorporating elements of being ‘in the moment’ increase opportunities for communication between people with dementia and their caregiver(s) and facilitate person-centered therapeutic activities.
... [27][28][29][30][31] For older adults, including those living with dementia, sometimes measures of physical or cognitive function have been used to assess the outcomes. 32,33 Although participatory arts initiatives are well known, both in practice and in the literature, the effectiveness of activities' content is sometimes overemphasized, and relatively little consideration has been devoted to the design and evaluation of such activities and their health benefits for older adults living in the community. 25 This supports the increasing need for relevant evaluation methods/approaches to assess community-based participatory arts and potentiate results of social engagement for people living with dementia. ...
Although the interests in participative arts for people living with a dementia has increased over the last decade, what is yet to be reviewed is how participatory community- based arts activities for this group of people are evaluated. The overall aim of the following scoping review is to understand the scope of measurement/evaluation methods/approaches used in studies that recruited participants with dementia from the community (not from health/clinical or residential aged care settings or nursing homes) and delivered community-based participatory arts activities/programs (not art therapy programs) to them. The methodological framework by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) for undertaking a scoping review article was applied to this study. Collation, summarizing and reporting the results was carried out considering the research questions. 7 articles met inclusion/exclusion criteria published from 2013 to 2020. The type of arts activities included co-designs and co-creation of various types of arts (n=1), museum visiting and art-making activities (n=4), artistic education-based program (n=1), group singing (n=1). This scoping review shed light on the paucity of research in which older people living with dementia were recruited from the community (not healthcare/clinical settings) to participate in participatory community- based art activities. Also, the results revealed that evaluation of participatory community-based arts activities for older people living with dementia in the community should include methods/techniques to get a deeper insight into the participants’ values and perspectives and the social interaction benefits of such programs.
... Some studies have shown that participation in CrExp activities such as visual arts and storytelling can improve mental and physical health in older adults with cognitive impairment, 16 63 64 although this remains controversial. 37 We designed a CrEAS programme that integrates activities involving verbal and non-verbal expression and evaluated its effectiveness in improving cognitive function and other health-related outcomes in older adults with MCI. We will adopt rigorous methods to reduce bias such as randomisation, blinding, theoretical innovation and comparisons to a control group. ...
Introduction
Early non-pharmacological interventions can prevent cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Creative expression (CrExp) can potentially mitigate cognitive decline and enhance the physical and mental health of older people. However, it is unclear whether activities involving CrExp can improve cognitive function and other health-related outcomes in older adults with MCI. The aim of the present study is to develop a Creative Expressive Arts-based Storytelling (CrEAS) programme that integrates verbal and non-verbal expressive activities and evaluate its effectiveness in improving cognitive function and other outcome indicators so as to explore its possible mechanism from the perspective of neuroimaging.
Methods and analysis
This parallel randomised controlled trial with three arms (one intervention and two control arms) will be conducted over a 24-week period. A total of 111 participants will be enrolled and randomised to the CrEAS, recreation and usual activity groups. The CrEAS programme combines visual arts therapy and storytelling (TimeSlips) under the Expressive Therapy Continuum theoretical framework and provides an opportunity for people with MCI to actively engage in activities to improve cognitive function through verbal and nonverbal CrExp. Global cognitive function, specific domains of cognition (memory, executive function, language and attention) and other health-related outcomes (anxiety, depression and quality of life) will be measured at baseline, at the end of the intervention, and at the 24-week follow-up. Structural/functional brain MRI data will be collected at baseline and immediately after the intervention.
Ethics and dissemination
Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Fujian Provincial Hospital (K2018-03-061). The study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and at academic conferences.
Trial registration number
ChiCTR1900021526.
... The participants of the current study came from two different intervention studies ( Klainin-Yobas et al., 2019 ;Lee et al., 2019 ) with identical neuropsychological assessment and MRI acquisition protocols. For the purpose of the current study, the baseline data from both interventions were combined. ...
Neuropsychological assessments are essential in diagnosing age-related neurocognitive disorders. However, they are lengthy in duration and can be unreliable at times. To this end, we explored a modified connectome-based predictive modeling approach to estimating individualized scores from multiple cognitive domains using structural connectivity (SC) and functional connectivity (FC) features. Multi-shell HARDI and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans, and scores from 10 cognitive measures were acquired from 91 older adults with mild cognitive impairment. SC and FC matrices were derived from these scans and, in various combinations, entered into models along with demographic covariates to predict cognitive scores. Leave-one-out cross-validation was performed. Predictive accuracy was assessed via the correlation between predicted and observed scores (rpredicted-observed). Across all cognitive measures, significant rpredicted-observed (.402 to .654) were observed from the best-predicting models. Six of these models consisted of multimodal features. For three cognitive measures, their best-predicting models’ rpredicted-observed were similar to that of a model that included only demographic covariates— suggesting that SC and/or FC features did not contribute significantly on top of demographics. Cross-prediction models revealed that the best-predicting models were similarly accurate in predicting scores of related cognitive measures— suggesting their limited specificity in predicting cognitive scores. Generally, multimodal connectomes together with demographics, can be exploited as sensitive markers, though with limited specificity, to predict cognitive performance across a spectrum in multiple cognitive domains. In certain situations, it may not be worthwhile to acquire neuroimaging data, considering that demographics alone can be similarly accurate in predicting cognitive scores.
... Lifestyle factors Lifestyle factors are assessed by a previously developed lifestyle questionnaire. 31 In addition, participants will be asked about the type of leisure activity who have participated before and number of hours spent/week participating in; mindfulness, artwork, exercise, social activities, musical activities or others (same as previous work 64 ). ...
Introduction
Ageing is associated with a multitude of healthcare issues including dementia, depression, frailty, morbidity associated with chronic disease and high healthcare utilisation. With Singapore’s population projected to age significantly over the next two decades, it has become increasingly important to understand the disease burden and etiological process among older adults. The Community Health and Intergenerational study aims to holistically examine ageing in place by investigating the resilience and vulnerability factors of the ageing process in the biological, psychological and social domains within the environment.
Methods and analysis
Using a cohort multiple randomised controlled trial design, comprehensive health profiles of community-dwelling older adults will be collected. The objective is to recruit 1000 participants (aged 60–99 years) living in the western region of Singapore within a period of 3 years (2018–2020). Assessments include basic sociodemographic, physical health and function (cardiac, oral and blood profiles and visual function), cognitive functioning, daily functioning, physical fitness, emotional state, free-flowing speech, sleep quality, social connectedness, caregiver burden, intergenerational communication, quality of life, life satisfaction, attitudes to ageing and gratitude and compassion. Results from the cohort will enable future studies to identify at-risk groups and develop interventions to improve the physical and mental health and quality of life of older adults.
Ethics and dissemination
Approval of the cohort study by the National University of Singapore Institutional Review Board (NUS-IRB Reference code: H-17-047) was obtained on 12 October 2017. Written consent will be obtained from all participants. Findings from the cohort study will be disseminated by publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts, presentations at scientific meetings and conferences with local stakeholders.
... Several case studies found that Art based Therapy is performed as a medium to feel rational, evaluate processes, and stabilise the situation. The sources show consistent and wellreasoned results to the case study from Lee et al. (2019) on creative use influence in therapy practice, and Lobban & Murphy (2019) found the evident the validity of therapy into healing process. ...
... Several case studies found that Art based Therapy is performed as a medium to feel rational, evaluate processes, and stabilise the situation. The sources show consistent and wellreasoned results to the case study from Lee et al. (2019) on creative use influence in therapy practice, and Lobban & Murphy (2019) found the evident the validity of therapy into healing process. ...
Study on the effectiveness of phototherapy technique and comparing the approaches of phototherapy categories.
From the once revolutionary practices of Alfred Adler to modern day community empower, this chapter focuses on the concept of “community.” Through an exploration of values, relationships, and a sense of belonging, the field of psychology is not restricted to the laboratory or clinical office. Communities are shaped through several factors such as culture, socioeconomic status, and location, yet communities thrive through shared interests and support. Empowerment, in this context, involves moving past individual autonomy, and embracing the idea that challenges faced by community whether economic, political, or social conditions are to a large degree shared collectively. Community psychology is the practice of fostering long-term sustainable, safe, and secure environments. By integrating clinical, social, art, and social psychology principles in neighborhoods, this dynamic process influenced by internal and external forces requires a compassionate and focused approach towards the collective well-being.
Demensia vaskular (vascular dementia/VaD) adalah penyebab demensia terbesar. Insiden gangguan kognitif dan demensia merupakan masalah kesehatan masyarakat yang mendesak, dan penyakit serebrovaskular seperti stroke seringkali menjadi kontributor utama. Doodle art sebagai bagian dari seni dapat menjadi terapi yang memberikan stimulai sensori dan kognitif bagi klien yang mengalami gangguan neurologis seperti cedera otak, strok, dan tumor otak. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menilai efektivitas terapi doodle art terhadap fungsi kognitif pada pasien post-stroke di Semarang. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan kuantitatif dengan pendekatan quasi-experimental pre dan post-test tanpa kelompok kontrol. Sampel penelitian ini penderita paska stroke setidaknya dalam 1 tahun terakhir, berusia > 25 tahun dan dapat berkomunikasi. Penelitian diawali dengan skrining awal tekanan darah dan kemandirian. Responden mengikuti terapi doodle art dalam empat kali pertemuan. Setelah intervensi, pengukuran fungsi kognitif dilakukan kembali. Statistik univariat diujikan untuk melihat karakteristik dan fungsi kognitif responden sebelum dna setelah perlakuan. Data tidak berdistribusi normal menggunakan uji Shapiro Wilk, sehingga perbedaan fungsi kognitif sebelum dan setelah perlakuan dianalisis menggunakan Wilcoxon. Terapi doodle art secara signifikan meningkatkan fungsi kognitif responden (p<0,05). Doodle art sebagai bagian dari seni dapat menjadi terapi yang memberikan stimulai sensori dan kognitif bagi klien yang mengalami gangguan neurologis. Terapi seni dirancang untuk menstimulasi fungsi sensori dan motorik untuk mengaktifkan bagian dari otak yang mengakibatkan gangguan neurokognitif. Intervensi secara berkelompok melibatkan proses kelompok dalam kemampuan orientasi lingkungan. Terapi doodle art dapat menjadi rekomendasi dalam upaya pencegahan demensia. Keywords: Demensia Vaskular, Stroke, Terapi Doodle Art
Creativity is usually seen as a good thing, but why? The Creativity Advantage first offers an overview of creativity studies with an emphasis on the little-discussed benefits of being creative. These include how creativity can lead to self-insight, help people heal, forge connections with others, inspire drive, and enable people to leave behind a meaningful legacy. Written in an engaging style and illustrated with interesting anecdotal material, this book offers a new perspective on creativity scholarship that can serve as an introduction to the field for newcomers or as a way to encourage new avenues for research.
The therapeutic use of art has been acknowledged as an effective nonpharmacological intervention for those living with a dementia diagnosis, with a vast array of mental health benefits. However, despite these benefits, nonpharmacological interventions are widely underused in favour of pharmacological treatments for the management of mental health and cognitive difficulties following a diagnosis of dementia in older people’s services. Case studies detailing three artistic interventions that were carried out as part of each service user’s treatment from an older people’s service in North Cumbria are discussed to demonstrate the therapeutic use of art following a dementia diagnosis, and to share the clinical observations and improvements on Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) scores achieved within each intervention. These interventions suggest support for existing literature and aim to encourage other healthcare professionals to use person-centred, nonpharmacological interventions in the management of cognitive and mental health difficulties in later life following a dementia diagnosis.
Aims
To explore and summarize studies investigating the effect of arts and culture interventions for people living with dementia and their caregivers on the well-being and cognition of the person living with dementia and, caregiver strain.
Methods
We carried out a systematic search of five electronic databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library). We included original research published in peer-reviewed journals including both qualitative and quantitative studies. We assessed quality of included studies using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias tools. A narrative synthesis was conducted of all included studies.
Results
Of the 4827 articles screened, 34 articles met inclusion criteria. A variety of interventions were identified, with more than half taking place in a museum or gallery. Five RCTs showed improvements in wellbeing outcomes but no cognitive improvements except in some subscales in a music intervention. Most non-randomised studies reported cognitive improvements and well-being improvements for people living with dementia and their caregivers. Studies primarily focused on individuals with mild to moderate dementia.
Conclusions
The use of arts and culture interventions may provide benefits for people living with dementia and their caregivers. However, heterogeneity of the interventions and outcome measures prevented generalization of the results. Further research of arts and culture interventions for people living with dementia and their caregivers should utilize larger controlled trials, standardized outcome measures and include individuals with moderate to severe dementia.
This study proposes Magic Brush, an AI-based application for dementia prevention targeting middle-aged individuals who may be at risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. In order to prevent dementia effectively at home, it is important to strengthen their intrinsic motivation. Promoting motivation is a critical issue in designing computerized cognitive therapy (CCT) for sustainability. Guided by self-determination theory, three main factors of intrinsic motivation were utilized as the main themes for the development: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Especially, we focused on demotivating factors of low competence which are commonly shared among the elderly and developed a magic brush function equipped with neural style transfer technology to help disconnect the link between low competence and demotivation. The user study (n=35) targeting individuals aged over 50 was conducted with both quantitative and qualitative methods. In general, users reported positive experiences with Magic Brush. The results of Structural Equation Modeling analysis showed that intrinsic motivation is an important contributor to the intention to use together with perceived usefulness. Intrinsic motivation can be promoted by AI therapist likability and perception of one's own performance. Discussion and implications are provided in relation to using AI technology to promote motivation.
This chapter explores how art therapy can help people recover from trauma. The chapter begins by defining trauma and examining why trauma is important to study. We learn about the different forms of trauma and how trauma is diagnosed. Four specific clusters of symptoms are discussed as well as how trauma affects the brain. Specific ways to prepare for trauma work are reviewed. Research evidence on art therapy interventions for trauma is provided and the chapter describes specific ways that art therapy is integrated into trauma treatment and work with children and adolescents. The second half of the chapter explores art therapy in response to disaster and tragedy. We explore art therapy interventions through psychology and art therapy first aid and learn about several real-life case examples. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the importance of self-care when working with clients with trauma.
Music interventions may represent an effective approach to improving symptoms and delaying progression of MCI to dementia. This review identified nine studies (8 RCT's, 1 observational study) that explored the benefits of music interventions to those with MCI. Studies included five music-playing interventions (sample size (n) ranged from 35 to 201, age ranged from 62 to 94), one music listening intervention (n = 100, mean age = 77 (music intervention) mean age = 76 (dance intervention), one music with movement intervention (n = 16, age range 65–84 years) and two music reminiscence interventions (n = 68; 72, age range = 60–85 years). Only individuals with a clinical diagnosis of MCI were included, no individuals with a diagnosis of dementia were included. Studies were limited due to their sample size, failure to consider confounding variables (i.e. socialization), inconsistency with therapist led sessions, failure to match conditions across interventions, limited follow-up period post-intervention and the tendency to focus on depression exclusively as a measure of behavioural symptoms. Different types of music interventions have differential results on cognitive and behavioural symptoms. The different pattern of brain activation and cognitive abilities which support each type of music activity (e.g. listening vs playing music) may offer some explanation towards these differences. A standardised protocol is needed for each type of music intervention to address how music interventions are studied, taking these limitations into consideration.
This article describes an arts-based intervention program for seven care dyads of elderly persons and their caregivers who are foreign domestic workers (FDWs) in Singapore. The intervention aimed to introduce interdisciplinary tools of artmaking and mindfulness that could be used to improve the communication and relationship between the care dyad and to support the stress reduction and self-care of caregivers. Following a client-based approach, eight sessions were conducted, once weekly, over a 2-month period in hybrid structure, at the home of the care dyad and through the use of Google Meet. Qualitative data were collected in personal interviews, questionnaires, and visual data, and they were connected with art therapists fieldnotes and reflection journals. At the end of the program, an online feedback session was offered to the elderly participants family members, and their feedback was collected using a questionnaire. The data analysis confirms the impact of the artmaking intervention on the communication and relationship of the dyad. Participants reported that artmaking combined with mindfulness tools contributed to their understanding of their care-recipient (CR)/caregiver, improved their daily care activities, and helped caregivers explore new ways of self-care and stress relief. The hybrid model of implementation was effective and encouraged caregivers to explore and practice the tools learned independently between sessions. The results of this pilot program inform the development of intervention programs for care dyads as well as training programs for both caregivers, art therapists, and other care professionals. The intervention for care dyads highlights the importance of dyadic care as part of a holistic approach to caregiving. The inclusion of FDWs in the program suggests that both CRs and caregivers are one unit in which their well-being is interdependent. Further research may explore specific artmaking activities for other dyads of caregivers and CRs with differing care needs and backgrounds. Potential training activities and models could support the use of this intervention by therapists and other professionals.
Museums and cultural institutions are increasingly striving to respond to the interests and needs of the society that hosts them. This means, apart from other actions, that these institutions must be involved in the health and wellbeing of society, and the creation of cultural activities aimed at people with cognitive impairment, a group of individuals that is growing worldwide due to the aging of society and the increasing prevalence of dementia. The involved sectors are aware of the potential and benefits of activities for this population, even though there is much research to be conducted. To date, no systematic review has focused on the benefits of cultural activities for cognitively impaired people. This study aimed to explore the benefits of different modalities of cultural activities with evidence from 145 studies from various databases, which met the inclusion criteria. Significant improvements in general cognition, quality of life (QoL), emotional wellbeing, socialization, and communication were generally reported after interventions, with a reduction in depression symptoms. There was not enough evidence to prove memory, language, or daily functioning improvements attributable to cultural interventions. There were no significant reductions reported in apathy, sadness, agitation, or anxiety.
At present, the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is seriously affecting everyone’s life, body and psychology. A review of relevant literature found that communication design (CD) and art therapy (AT) can bring immediate benefits to human health. However, the current CD focuses on the design of visual communication, and AT focuses on the methods and results of treatment, and rarely integrates the characteristics of the two to carry out healthy design interventions. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the characteristics of CD and AT through the method of literature review, explore the potential positive effects of the integration of the two. And then start from the perspective of design and creation of cure, to design cures and think about potential interventions. Finally, a design strategy framework for experience under the epidemic will be constructed to enhance users’ experience during treatment and reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. By integrating the analysis results of CD and AT, this paper constructs a broad framework of design strategy from three levels: users, design and elements. First, the design process is driven from top to bottom by stakeholders. Then, the CD process is constructed based on the design thinking of user experience by integrating visual information and artistic media. Finally, several design elements including senses, experience, humanity, rhetoric, new media and digital technology are integrated into the design process to realize the communication, exchange and interaction of information, and to construct the intervention measures to cure by design.
Chinese immigrants had arrived in Singapore even before the British established a trading post in 1819. The Chinese diaspora to Southeast Asia in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century was because of the political and social turmoil in China as a consequence of the civil wars. This chapter discusses the three epidemiological studies on the mental health of Chinese elderly conducted in the last three decades. The first study in 1987 included predominantly immigrants living in the inner city around the Chinatown district. The second study in 1998 comprised immigrants and descendants of immigrants residing in the suburb of Toa Payoh. The third study at the industrial district of Jurong in 2011 included descendants of immigrants and a smaller number of new immigrants. The elderly were all living in public high-rise apartments. A common problem of all the immigrants was loneliness and this was more evident among those in the suburban and industrial districts. There was better social connectivity among the elderly in Chinatown. The prevalence of dementia in the three studies varied between 2.5% and 5% and depression rates were from 5% to 9% with a lower rate among the Chinatown elderly. The dementia prevention program launched at Jurong has been very successful to improve the mental well-being and social support of the elderly.
Art Therapy and Creative Aging offers an integrated perspective on engaging with older people through the arts. Drawing from the author's clinical, research, and teaching experiences, the book explores how arts engagement can intertwine with and support healthy aging. This book combines analysis of current development theory, existing research on creative programs with elders, and case examples of therapeutic experience to critically examine ageism and demonstrate how art therapy and creative aging approaches can harness our knowledge of the cognitive and emotional development of older adults. Chapters cover consideration of generational, cultural, and historical factors; the creative, cognitive and emotional developmental components of aging; arts and art therapy techniques and methods with older adults with differing needs; and examples of best practices. Creative arts therapists, creative aging professionals, and students who seek foundational concepts and ideas for arts practice with older people will find this book instrumental in developing effective ways of using the arts to promote health and well-being and inspire engagement with this often-underserved population.
Previous findings on the relationship between telomere length and cognition have inconclusive, despite the relatively consistent telomere-shortening associated atrophy in the subcortical regions. Perhaps, there could be other more important telomere-associated factors in the brain, such as functional connectivity (FC) and structural connectivity (SC) that modulate cognition. The current study examined the relationship between telomere length, connectivity, and cognition. Telomere length measurements, neurocognitive scores, diffusion tensor and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were collected from 82 older adults with mild cognitive impairment. SC and FC matrices were derived from these scans and, in various combinations, entered into connectome-based predictive models to predict telomere length. The telomere-associated features were then used to predict memory and executive functions. Leave-one-out cross-validation was performed. Predictive accuracy was assessed via the correlation between predicted and observed scores (rpredicted-observed). Correlation analyses were carried out between cognition and telomere length. Telomere length was significantly and negatively correlated with executive functions (EF), after controlling for demographical confounds. Telomere length was best predicted by negative SC and positive FC features (rpredicted-observed=.57; p<.001). The telomere-associated negative SC features significantly predicted EF scores (rpredicted-observed=-.26; p=.015). Telomere-shortening was associated with better EF and alterations in both FC and SC. This enhanced EF can be partly attributed to the telomere-associated changes in SC. Given that telomere is known to be a nonspecific marker of health, our findings illustrated a potential clinical use of telomere length to predict individualized health-related information from FC and SC features.
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