A short-term intervention to enhance cognitive and affective functioning in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the benefits of a short-term intervention for older adults that targeted cognitive functioning and quality of life issues important for independent living.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-four community-dwelling participants (aged 60 to 86) took part in one of three study conditions: theater arts (primary intervention), visual arts (non-content-specific comparison group), and no-treatment controls.


RESULTS
After 4 weeks of instruction, those given theater training made significantly greater gains than did no-treatment controls on both cognitive and psychological well-being measures. A comparison of theater and visual arts training showed fewer benefits in fewer areas for visual arts.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors suggest reasons why various aspects of theater training appear to enhance healthy aging.
Noice
Helga
H
Department of Psychology, Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126, USA. helgan@elmhurst.edu
Noice
Tony
T
Staines
Graham
G
D000368:Aged; D001154:Art; D001155:Art Therapy; D003071:Cognition; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*