Technology-Enhanced 4Active Intervention Impacting Psychological Well-Being and Physical Activity among Older Adults: A Pilot Study

Background: To increase psychological well-being and physical activity (PA) behaviors, our pilot study used the social ecological model as the framework to design the 4Active intervention, focusing on multicomponent exercise group lessons at the interpersonal level and self exercise enhanced by activity trackers at the individual level. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of the two-level 4Active intervention in improving psychological well-being and PA participation in older adults living in retirement communities. Methods: Participants were 27 older adults with a mean age of 85.9 ± 9.3 years. Based on the two-arm, quasi-experimental study design, fourteen older adults (2 men, 12 women) living in one retirement community (RC) were assigned into the intervention group receiving the two-level 4Active intervention, whereas 13 older adults (1 man, 12 women) living in another RC were allocated to the active control group receiving group exercise intervention alone for eight weeks. One week before and after the interventions, the participants were pre-tested and post-tested in psychological well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, subjective happiness, positive affect, and negative affect) and weekly PA minutes (i.e., weekly walking, vigorous, moderate, and total PA minutes). The data were analyzed be means of descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, and ANCOVA repeated measures. Results: The results of ANCOVA repeated measures indicated that both groups maintained their slightly high or very high levels of life satisfaction, happiness, and positive affect over times. However, the two-level 4Active intervention group showed significant decreases in negative affect (F = 4.78, p = 0.04, η2 = 0.23) and significance increases in weekly moderate PA (F = 10.355, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.310) compared with the active control group over time. Conclusion: It is concluded that engaging in the two-level 4Active intervention including group-based multicomponent exercises and technology-enhanced self-exercises is more effective in decreasing negative affect and increasing weekly moderate PA METS-min in physically and cognitively frail older adults over time, compared with attending the group exercises alone.

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“Where-There-Is-No-Psychiatrist Integrated Personal Therapy” among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18189514 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (18) ◽

pp. 9514

Author(s):

Shefaly Shorey ◽

Ee Heok Kua ◽

Wilson Tam ◽

Valerie Chan ◽

Yong Shian Goh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Older Adults ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Small Sample ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Control Group ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

In Singapore, many older adults suffer from subsyndromal depression and/or subsyndromal anxiety, which can negatively impact their physical and mental well-being if left untreated. Due to the general public’s reluctance to seek psychological help and the low psychiatrist-to-population ratio in Singapore, this study aims to examine the preliminary efficacy, perceptions, and acceptability of a trained volunteer-led community-based intervention on community-dwelling older adults. Twenty-one participants (control: n = 11; intervention: n = 10) completed the randomized pilot study. A mixed-methods approach (questionnaires, semistructured interviews, examining blood samples, intervention fidelity) was adopted. No significant differences were found between the intervention and the control groups in depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, friendship, and quality of life. However, there was a positive change in quality-of-life scores from baseline to 6 months in the intervention group. The control group had significantly higher cortisol levels and lower annexin-A1 levels at 6 months, while the intervention group did not. Three themes emerged from the interviews: (1) impact of the intervention on older adults’ well-being, (2) attitudes toward intervention, and (3) a way forward. However, intervention efficacy could not be established due to small sample size caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Future randomized controlled trials should evaluate volunteer-led, technology-based psychosocial interventions to support these older adults.

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The Social Effects of an Intergenerational E-Mail Pal Program

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.686 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 181-182

Author(s):

Kristi Lise ◽

Jillian Minahan ◽

Karen Siedlecki

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Online Survey ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Baseline Survey ◽

Control Group ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Pen Pal ◽

E Mail

Abstract Ageist attitudes and loneliness negatively impact both younger and older adults (e.g., Sun et al., 2019). This study utilized a randomized waitlist-control design to investigate the effects of a six-week intergenerational e-mail pen pal program on loneliness in younger and older adults and ageism in younger adults. Thirty-three younger adults (18-30 years) and 28 older adults (over age 65) completed an online survey assessing ageist attitudes, loneliness, well-being, and other individual differences. One week after completing a baseline survey, 17 email pen pal pairs began the six-week e-mail intervention. Participants repeated the survey one week after the completion of the intervention (which was eight weeks after the baseline for the control participants). Analyses showed that at baseline, younger adults (M=2.41, SD=.76) reported higher levels of loneliness compared to older adults (M=1.65, SD=.77), t(59) = 3.85, p < .001. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed that the intervention did not have a significant effect on ageism or loneliness in either younger or older adults. However, the effect size of the intervention for loneliness among older adults was moderate to large (η2= .07). Descriptive statistics indicated that older adults in both the intervention and control groups experienced an increase of loneliness during the post-test. However, the older adults in the intervention group experienced less of an increase compared to older adults in the control group. This suggests that the intervention may have buffered the increase in loneliness that older adults may experience during the winter months and during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Loving Others: The Impact of Compassionate Love on Later-Life Psychological Well-Being

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1554 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 480-481

Author(s):

Eva Kahana ◽

Tirth Bhatta ◽

Boaz Kahana ◽

Nirmala Lekhak

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Positive Affect ◽

Emotional Support ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Compassionate Love ◽

The Impact

Abstract Existing scholarship in social gerontology has surprisingly paid little attention to broader loving emotions, such as compassionate and altruistic love, as potentially meaningful mechanisms for improving later life psychological well-being. This study examined the influence of feeling love toward other persons and experiencing love from others on later life psychological well-being. We conducted a 3-wave longitudinal study of a representative sample of 340 ethnically heterogeneous community dwelling older residents of Miami, Florida. The increase in feeling of being loved (β=-1.53, p<0.001) and love for others (β=-1.43, p<0.001) led to decline in odds of reporting greater level of depressive symptoms over time. The odds of reporting higher level of positive affect were significantly greater for older adults who reported feeling loved by others (β=1.16, p<0.001) and expressed love for other people (β=1.18, p<0.01). Older adults who felt loved had 0.92-point lower ordered log odds of reporting higher negative affect than those who reported lower level of love. The impact of compassionate love on depressive symptoms and negative affect remained statistically significant even after adjustment for altruistic attitudes and emotional support. The influence of loving emotions on positive affect was, however, explained by altruistic attitudes and emotional support. Our findings underscore the powerful influence of both receiving and giving love for the maintenance of later life psychological well-being. We offer support for the expectation that love is a significant force in the lives of older adults that transcends intimate relationships.

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Effects of Cognitive Training on Cognitive Performance of Healthy Older Adults

The Spanish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1017/sjp.2017.38 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mariana Teles Santos Golino ◽

Carmen Flores Mendoza ◽

Hudson Fernandes Golino

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Digit Span ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Digit Symbol ◽

Transfer Effects ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Picture Completion

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to determine the immediate effects of cognitive training on healthy older adults and verify the transfer effects of targeted and non-targeted abilities. The design consisted of a semi-randomized clinical controlled trial. The final sample was composed of 80 volunteers recruited from a Brazilian community (mean age = 69.69; SD = 7.44), which were separated into an intervention group (N = 47; mean age = 69.66, SD = 7.51) and a control group (N = 33; mean age = 69.73, SD = 7.45). Intervention was characterized by adaptive cognitive training with 12 individual training sessions of 60 to 90 minutes (once a week). Eight instruments were used to assess effects of cognitive training. Five were used to assess trained abilities (near effects), including: Memorization Tests (List and History), Picture Completion, Digit Span, Digit Symbol-Coding, and Symbol Search (the last four from WAIS-III). Two instruments assessed untrained abilities (far effects): Arithmetic and Matrix Reasoning (WAIS-III). The non-parametric repeated measures ANOVA test revealed a significant interaction between group by time interaction for Picture Completion [F(74) = 14.88, p = .0002, d = 0.90, CLES = 73.69%], Digit Symbol-Coding [F(74) = 5.66, p = .019, d = 0.55, CLES = 65.21%] and Digit Span [F(74) = 5.38, p = .02, d = 0.54, CLES = 64.85%], suggesting an interventional impact on these performance tasks. The results supported near transfer effects, but did not demonstrate a far transfer effects.

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PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND THE ONSET OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AMONG CHINESE OLDER ADULTS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.423 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S114-S115

Author(s):

Jiaan Zhang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Well Being ◽

Functional Health ◽

Survey Study ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Chinese Older Adults ◽

Study Results ◽

Over Time

Abstract Previous research has shown the beneficial effects of positive psychological assets on health, but more research is needed to confirm the prospective effects on cognitive function. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between psychological well-being and the earliest onset of cognitive impairment among Chinese older adults. Data came from 2000 to 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Study sample consisted of 6,225 older adults who were free from cognitive impairment in 2000. Psychological well-being was measured based on seven items that assessed optimism, conscientiousness, self-determination, happiness, self-esteem, pessimism, and loneliness, with responses ranging from “always (1)” to never (5)”. Negative feelings items were reverse coded. Higher score indicated more positive psychological well-being. Cognitive impairment was measured by a Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Respondents scored at or above 24 were regarded as having no cognitive impairment. A multi-category time-varying variable was used to capture four potential outcomes: (1) persistently free of cognitive impairment between waves, (2) onset of cognitive impairment, (3) death between waves, and (4) attrition. Socio-demographics, chronical diseases conditions, functional health status were served as controls. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression models that account for clustering of observations within a subject over time were employed for the study. Results show that more positive psychological well-being is significantly associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment onset and death over time. Results suggest that developing more psychological resilience-based intervention programs among older adults may help them delay the onset of cognitive impairment.

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The Effects of Video Feedback on Coaches’ Behavior and the Coach-Athlete Relationship

Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology ◽

10.1123/jcsp.4.4.323 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 323-340 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mathieu Simon Paul Meeûs ◽

Sidónio Serpa ◽

Bert De Cuyper

Keyword(s):

Repeated Measures ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Video Feedback ◽

Assessment System ◽

Control Group ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Frequency Table ◽

Coaching Behavior ◽

Intervention Condition ◽

Over Time

This study examined the effects of video feedback on the nonverbal behavior of handball coaches, and athletes’ and coaches’ anxieties and perceptions. One intervention group (49 participants) and one control group (63 participants) completed the Coaching Behavior Assessment System, Coaching Behavior Questionnaire, and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 on two separate occasions, with 7 weeks of elapsed time between each administration. Coaches in the intervention condition received video feedback and a frequency table with a comparison of their personal answers and their team’s answers on the CB AS. Repeated-measures ANOVAs showed that over time, athletes in the intervention group reported significantly less anxiety and perceived their coaches significantly more positively compared with athletes in the nonintervention condition. Over time, coaches in the intervention group perceived themselves significantly more positively than coaches in the nonintervention condition. Compared with field athletes, goalkeepers were significantly more anxious and perceived their coaches less positively. It is concluded that an intervention using video feedback might have positive effects on anxiety and coach perception and that field athletes and goalkeepers possess different profiles.

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CHARACTERIZING THE PATHWAYS UNDERLYING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND HEALTH

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2996 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S813-S813

Author(s):

Eric S Kim ◽

Anthony Ong

Keyword(s):

Repeated Measures ◽

Chronic Conditions ◽

Daily Diary ◽

Well Being ◽

Management Approach ◽

Diary Study ◽

Response Effort ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Daily Diary Study ◽

Over Time

Abstract As populations age, identifying factors that foster the maintenance of health is crucial for improving the health and well-being of older adults. Yet, most psychological, biomedical, and public health efforts have focused on reducing harmful risk factors. While the risk management approach has contributed greatly to prevention and treatment programs, our aging society continues to grapple with the steadily rising tide of chronic conditions. Expanding the focus to include upstream, health-promoting psychosocial assets may help inform a more comprehensive response effort. Mounting research suggests that different dimensions of psychological well-being are uniquely associated with reduced risk of chronic conditions. However, the mechanisms underlying these associations remain understudied. This symposium presents 4 studies evaluating potential mechanisms. The first talk presents research evaluating how a spouse’s level of optimism may be uniquely associated with an individual’s cognitive health over time (above and beyond that own individual’s level of optimism). A second talk, draws upon a multi-burst daily diary study and focuses on affective stress response as a potentially modifiable target that could explain the health benefits of optimism. A third talk evaluates how baseline levels purpose in life might be associated with repeated measures of five key health behaviors over time. A fourth talk discusses results from a longitudinal-burst daily diary study determining the reciprocal relationships among optimism, pain interference, and goal-directed activity among older women who experience pain. Overall, these studies add to the growing research on psychological well-being and physical health by providing evidence around potential biobehavioral pathways.

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Respiratory, Physical, and Psychological Benefits of Breath-Focused Yoga for Adults with Severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A Brief Pilot Study Report

International Journal of Yoga Therapy ◽

10.17761/ijyt.22.1.1l804u9511623u25 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 47-52 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Colin Silverthorne ◽

Sat Bir Khalsa ◽

Robin Gueth ◽

Nicole DeAvilla ◽

Janie Pansini

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Well Being ◽

Small Sample ◽

Longitudinal Change ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

Severe Tbi

Objective: This pilot study was designed to identify the potential benefits of breath-focused yoga on respiratory, physical, and psychological functioning for adults with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants: Ten individuals with severe TBI who self-selected to attend weekly yoga classes and 4 no-treatment controls were evaluated. Methods: Participants were assessed at pretreatment baseline and at 3-month intervals for a total of 4 time points over 40 weeks. Outcomes of interest included observed exhale strength, ability to hold a breath or a tone, breathing rate, counted breaths (inhale and exhale), and heart rate, as well as self-reported physical and psycho-logical well-being. Results: Repeated within-group analyses of variance revealed that the yoga group demonstrated significant longitudinal change on several measures of observed respiratory functioning and self-reported physical and psychological well-being over a 40-week period. Those in the control group showed marginal improvement on 2 of the 6 measures of respiratory health, physical and social functioning, emotional well-being, and general health. The small sample sizes precluded the analysis of between group differences. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence that breath-focused yoga may improve respiratory functioning and self-perceived physical and psychological well-being of adults with severe TBI.

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A randomized controlled trial of a specific reminiscence approach to promote the well-being of nursing home residents with dementia

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610204000055 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 33-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 80

Author(s):

Claudia K. Y. Lai ◽

Iris Chi ◽

Jeanie Kayser-Jones

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Nursing Home ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Nursing Home Residents ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled

Background: To date, no firm conclusions can be reached regarding the effectiveness of reminiscence for dementia. Researchers have emphasized that there is an urgent need for more systematic research in the area.Objective and Method: A single-blinded, parallel-groups (one intervention, one comparison, and one no-intervention group) randomized controlled trial (RCT) was adopted to investigate whether a specific reminiscence program leads to higher levels of psychosocial well-being in nursing home residents with dementia. The intervention adopted a life-story approach, while the comparison group provided friendly discussions to control for any changes in outcome as a result of social contacts and attention. The Social Engagement Scale (SES) and Well-being/Ill-being Scale (WIB) were the outcome measures used. The outcomes of the groups were examined with reference to the baseline (T0), immediately (T1), and six weeks (T2) after intervention. The final sample had 101 subjects (control group: n=30; comparison group: n=35; intervention group: n=36). Using multivariate analysis with repeated measures, no significant differences in outcome were found between groups at either T1 or T2. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were performed for each group comparing outcomes between T1 and T0, T2 and T1, and T2 and T0. Significant differences were observed in the intervention group when comparing T1 and T0 WIB (p=.014), but not for the other groups.Conclusion: Although the intervention did not lead to significant differences between the three groups over time, there was a significant improvement in psychosocial well-being for the intervention group.

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Programa de actividad física y su incidencia en la depresión y bienestar subjetivo de adultos mayores (Impact of a physical activity program on older adults’ depression and subjective well-being)

Retos ◽

10.47197/retos.v0i33.49638 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 14-19

Author(s):

Lisbet Guillen Pereira ◽

Egar Bueno Fernandez ◽

Manuel Gutierrez Cruz ◽

José Ramón Guerra Santiesteban

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Geriatric Depression Scale ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Geriatric Depression ◽

Analysis Model ◽

Geriatric Center

El artículo se enfoca en el análisis de un programa de actividades físicas y su efecto en la mejora de los niveles de depresión y bienestar subjetivo de adultos mayores. Se utiliza un diseño experimental con pre y pos tratamiento en una muestra de 111 adultos mayores seleccionado mediante criterios de inclusión, a la que se le aplicó un procedimiento de proporción de uno a tres para crear el grupo experimental y de control (n=74 grupo experimental y n=37 el grupo de control). La depresión fue medida aplicando la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica de Yesavage y el bienestar subjetivo a partir de la Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale. Para el análisis del pre con el post tratamiento se utilizó un modelo de análisis de varianza (ANOVA) con medidas repetidas (MR). Los resultados revelaron diferencias significativas en la Depresión Geriátrica (p=.000) y del Bienestar subjetivo en cada dimensión estudiada: afectos positivos (p=.000), afectos negativos (p=.000) y agitación (p=.000), lo que se concluye que las dos variables dependientes mejoraron de manera significativa al aplicar la propuesta.Abstract: This article focuses on the analysis of a program of physical activities and its effect on reducing depression levels and on increasing subjective well-being of older adults. An experimental design with pre- and post-treatment was applied to a sample of 111 older adults selected in accordance with inclusion criteria, using a one-to-three ratio procedure to create experimental and control groups (Experimental group, n = 74; control group, n = 37). Depression was measured by means of the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale, whereas subjective well-being with the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale. For the pre-post analysis, a variance analysis model (ANOVA) with repeated measures (MR) was used. Results revealed significant differences in Geriatric Depression (p = .001) and subjective well-being in each dimension studied: positive affects (p = .001), negative affects (p = .001) and agitation (p = .001), We can conclude that the two dependent variables improved significantly after applying the program proposed.

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