Art Therapy for Enhancing Well-Being in Solitary Older Adults

NCT06763757 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 202410001RINA
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 22
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study explores the impact of art therapy on mental health and quality of life among solitary older adults. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: an experimental group receiving art therapy sessions or a control group with no intervention. The art therapy program includes 12 weekly sessions lasting 90 minutes each, focusing on creative expression, observation of art, and reflective discussions. These activities are designed to enhance emotional well-being, reduce depressive symptoms, and foster interpersonal connections. Both groups will undergo evaluations before and after the 12-week study period. The assessments will include the Taiwanese version of the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to measure changes in psychological health and life satisfaction. The findings aim to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of art therapy as a non-pharmacological intervention for improving the well-being of solitary older adults.

Conditions

Mental Health; Quality of Life; Emotional Well-being; Loneliness

Keywords

Occupational Therapy; Solitary Older Adults; Mental Health; Quality of Life; Art Therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF)

  The primary outcome is the change in quality of life scores, as measured by the Taiwanese version of the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). This tool evaluates quality of life across four domains: physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, and environmental factors. Each domain is scored independently, with scores ranging from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate better quality of life, reflecting positive perceptions in that domain.

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and 12 weeks (post-intervention).

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Depressive Symptoms (BDI)

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and 12 weeks (post-intervention).

Study Arms (2)

Art Therapy Intervention Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the experimental group will attend 12 weekly art therapy sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. These sessions are designed to enhance emotional well-being, foster self-expression, and improve interpersonal connections through guided art activities. The program includes creating art, observing and discussing art pieces, and engaging in reflective exercises to explore personal emotions and experiences. Each session is structured to build upon the previous ones, beginning with activities to establish trust and comfort, progressing to deeper emotional exploration, and culminating in a final creative project. The sessions are led by trained facilitators and supervised by licensed occupational therapists. Evaluations will be conducted before and after the 12-week program using the Taiwanese version of the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to assess changes in mental health and quality of life

Behavioral: Art Therapy Program

No Intervention Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the control group will not receive any intervention during the study period and will continue with their usual daily routines. They will complete two evaluations: one at baseline before the start of the study and another after 12 weeks. These evaluations will use the Taiwanese version of the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) to measure mental health and quality of life. The data collected will serve as a comparison to determine the effectiveness of the art therapy intervention in the experimental group.

Interventions

Art Therapy Program BEHAVIORAL

The Art Therapy Program consists of 12 weekly group sessions, each lasting 90 minutes, designed to improve emotional well-being and quality of life in solitary older adults. Participants engage in structured activities that include creating art (e.g., drawing and painting), observing and interpreting art pieces, and reflective discussions to explore personal emotions and experiences. The sessions are led by trained facilitators under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists. This intervention follows a thematic progression: initial sessions focus on building trust and self-expression, mid-sessions deepen emotional awareness, and final sessions culminate in a creative project reflecting the participant's personal growth. Unlike other interventions, this program is tailored specifically for older adults living alone, addressing their unique challenges of isolation and reduced social interaction.

Art Therapy Intervention Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 65 years or older.
• Living alone.
• Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score between 24 and 30, indicating no significant cognitive impairment.
• Capable of providing informed consent.
• Physically able to participate in art-related activities such as drawing or painting.
• Not currently undergoing psychiatric medication treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder.

You may not qualify if:

• Recent major life events (e.g., bereavement, severe illness) that could interfere with study participation.
• History of brain injury or severe psychiatric conditions, such as schizophrenia or major depressive disorder requiring hospitalization.
• Physical disabilities or motor impairments that prevent participation in art activities.
• Participation in similar art therapy studies within the past 6 months.
• Strong aversion or resistance to art therapy activities.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Taiwan University Hospital: lead
• National Yunlin University of Science and Technology: collaborator

Related Publications (1)

• Tsai PC, Chou WH, Liao SY. A randomized controlled trial study of a life review art intervention for older adults living alone. Front Psychol. 2025 Nov 19;16:1669119. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1669119. eCollection 2025.

  PMID: 41346530 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

LIAO SHU-YI

CONTACT

+886-96380066; Y01843@ms1.ylh.gov.tw

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 27, 2024
• First Posted: January 8, 2025
• Study Start: January 7, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 31, 2025
• Study Completion: May 31, 2025
• Last Updated: January 10, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: The de-identified individual participant data (IPD) and supporting information will be available starting 6 months after the publication of the primary study findings. The data will remain accessible for a period of 5 years following the initial release.
• Access Criteria: De-identified individual participant data (IPD) and supporting information, including the study protocol, statistical analysis plan, and informed consent form, will be accessible to qualified researchers who submit a formal data access request. The request must include a detailed research proposal outlining the intended use of the data, methods of analysis, and publication plans. Proposals will be reviewed and approved by the principal investigator and the Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure ethical and scientific validity. Approved researchers will be required to sign a data-sharing agreement to ensure compliance with data use policies. The data and documents will be shared through a secure external repository, with access granted on a case-by-case basis.