Mirie E. Levy

Abstract

Objectives: While the literature supports the maintenance of functional status as integral to successful aging, the relationship of creativity on functional status has received little attention. Creativity has been associated with health and aging in the research but only a small number of studies have examined creativity interventions to enhance functional status and boost psychological wellbeing.

Methods: A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used to investigate an 8-week creativity intervention on functional status and psychological wellbeing in older adults. Sample subjects were 92 men and women all over age 60. A series of two-way mixed ANOVAs measured differences between treatment and control groups.

Results: While study findings did not detect a treatment effect, a time x treatment interaction was found on the composite of functional status (p < .002) and on the composite of psychological wellbeing (p < .033). There was also a main effect of time found on the composite of psychological wellbeing (p < .026). Exploratory analyses revealed a time x treatment interaction on emotional wellbeing (p < .000) and on self-acceptance (p < .016), in addition to main effects of time on role limitations to physical health (p < .002), pain (p < .001), general health (p < .018), and purpose in life (p < .006).

Discussion: Although the creativity intervention did not increase the composite of functional status or the composite of psychological wellbeing, the main findings were improvements in a distinct item of functional status, emotional wellbeing, and in a distinct item of psychological wellbeing, self-acceptance.

School

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Serena Tonstad

Second Advisor

Adam Arechiga

Third Advisor

Heather Diaz

Degree Name

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2013

Date (Title Page)

8-2013

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Aging -- psychology; Creativity -- in old age; Personal Satisfaction; Geriatric Assessment

Type

Dissertation

Page Count

ix; 154

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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