Visual Arts Interventions With Older Adults

NCT06645652 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: NU-DS-20241011
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The present study investigates the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a novel visual arts-based intervention in an older adult population. In a randomized controlled design, two arts-based interventions will be evaluated with a group of 50 participants.

Conditions

Feasibility Study

Keywords

Cognition; Perception; Aged; Healthy Volunteers; Learning

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Acceptability - clarity

  Perceived clarity on the course content, likert scale 1-5

  Throughout training and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Acceptability - engagement

  Level of engagement with the course materials, likert scale 1-5

  Throughout training and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Acceptability - value

  Perceived value of the course content, likert scale 1-5

  Throughout training and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Feasibility - completion rate

  % of participants who completed both testing sessions

  Throughout training and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Feasibility - adherence

  % of lessons that participants completed, from 0-6

  Throughout training and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Feasibility - frequency

  Frequency: times a week that participants completed training, 0-7 for days practiced each week

  Throughout training and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Feasibility - attrition

  Attrition reason: participants withdrawing will select from one of 5 options or 'other' to record the reason for withdrawing

  Throughout training and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Change in Drawing skills

  Participants will have 5 minutes to draw a photograph. Accuracy is scored using two methods: angle error at defined points of intersection and a rubric assessing accuracy on global and local features. Both ratings are averaged into a composite z-score, as well as looked at separately.

  Pre-test (baseline) and post-test 6-8 weeks later

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Change in Perception - contour integration

  Pre-test (baseline) and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Change in Perception - visual disembedding

  Pre-test (baseline) and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Change in Visuospatial Reasoning - construction and memory

  Pre-test (baseline) and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Change in Visuospatial Reasoning - mental transformation

  Pre-test (baseline) and post-test 6-8 weeks later

• Change in Attention

  Pre-test (baseline) and post-test 6-8 weeks later

Other Outcomes (1)

• Daily progress log

  After every training session (weeks 1-6 of training, up to 7 times a week)

Study Arms (2)

Participatory Arts

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will develop drawing skills through learning specific techniques and deliberately engaging cognitive domains such as perception, visuospatial reasoning, attention, and processing speed. The intervention is completed in a hybrid format where lessons are completed online and practice is completed in a sketchbook and drawing things from life. Prompts are provided to guide daily practice sessions. Techniques learned include contour drawing, gesture drawing, negative space drawing.

Behavioral: Training in observational drawing

Receptive Arts

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will learn about different art periods and browse online galleries. The materials will be available online through a website through which participants will access and browse online galleries. Weekly topics include genres, subjects, or specific mediums. Prompts and vocabulary will accompany the galleries to guide their learning.

Behavioral: Arts engagement through digital galleries

Interventions

Training in observational drawing BEHAVIORAL

* 6 weeks of online gallery browsing based on different topics * Daily practice drawing from observation with training adding up to 1 hour a week * Documenting progress and reflection writing

Participatory Arts

Arts engagement through digital galleries BEHAVIORAL

* 6 weeks of online gallery browsing based on different topics * 2 hours of weekly activities consist of reading and navigating technology * Reflection writing

Receptive Arts

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 55 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years of age
• Able to understand and speak English and follow study procedures
• Does not have a psychological or neurological condition that would prevent from being able to give consent to participate
• Less than 2 years of formal visual arts training

You may not qualify if:

• Formal diagnosis of dementia or other neurological disease, including Mild Cognitive Impairment
• A final score below 17 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment - Blind (phone) version
• Abnormal visual acuity prohibitive of tablet-based training
• Physical handicap (motor or perceptual) that would impede training procedures
• Medical illness requiring treatment and/or significant absences during the study timeline

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Northeastern University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

RECRUITING

Study Officials

• Susanne Jaeggi, PhD

  Northeastern University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Aaron Seitz, PhD

  Northeastern University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Mariya Vodyanyk, MA

CONTACT

608-628-4820; vodyanyk.m@northeastern.edu

Audrey Carrillo, MA

CONTACT

a.carrillo@northeastern.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 11, 2024
• First Posted: October 17, 2024
• Study Start: October 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026
• Last Updated: April 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL
• Time Frame: Data will be available persistently at the conclusion of the study.
• Access Criteria: There are no access criteria.

Locations

US (1)