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Psychosocial interventions with art, music, T ai Chi and mindfulness for subsyndromal depression and anxiety in older adults: A naturalistic study in S ingapore
Author(s) -
Rawtaer Iris,
Mahendran Rathi,
Yu Junhong,
Fam Johnson,
Feng Lei,
Kua Ee Heok
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
asia‐pacific psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.654
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1758-5872
pISSN - 1758-5864
DOI - 10.1111/appy.12201
Subject(s) - psychosocial , psychological intervention , mindfulness , anxiety , intervention (counseling) , geriatric depression scale , depression (economics) , medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , mental health , clinical psychology , psychology , physical therapy , psychiatry , depressive symptoms , nursing , economics , macroeconomics
Objectives Subsyndromal depression ( SSD ) and subsyndromal anxiety ( SSA ) are common in the elderly and if left untreated, contributes to a lower quality of life, increased suicide risk, disability and inappropriate use of medical services. Innovative approaches are necessary to address this public health concern. We evaluate a community‐based psychosocial intervention program and its effect on mental health outcomes in Singaporean older adults. Method Elderly participants with SSD and SSA , as assessed on the G eriatric D epression S cale and G eriatric A nxiety I nventory, were included. Intervention groups include T ai C hi exercise, A rt T herapy, M indfulness A wareness P ractice and Music Reminiscence Therapy. The program was divided into a single intervention phase and a combination intervention phase. Outcomes were measured with the Z ung S elf‐ R ating D epression S cale ( SDS ) and Z ung S elf‐ R ating A nxiety S cale ( SAS ) at baseline, 4 weeks, 10 weeks, 24 weeks and 52 weeks. The program had ethics board approval. Results A hundred and one subjects (25 males, 76 females; mean age = 71 years, SD = 5.95) participated. There were significant reductions in SDS and SAS scores in the single intervention phase ( P < 0.05), and these reductions remained significant at week 52, after completion of the combination intervention phase, relative to baseline ( P < 0.001). Conclusion Participating in these psychosocial interventions led to a positive improvement in SSD and SSA symptoms in these elderly subjects over a year. This simple, inexpensive and culturally acceptable approach should be adequately studied and replicated in other communities.