Tracy Chippendale, Jane Bear-Lehman; Effect of Life Review Writing on Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Occup Ther 2012;66(4):438–446. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2012.004291
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© 2021 American Occupational Therapy Association
OBJECTIVE. We examined the effects of engaging in the occupation-based intervention of life review through writing on expressed depressive symptoms as measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale in older adults residing in senior residences.
METHOD. The study design was a randomized controlled trial that took place in four senior residences in New York City. Forty-five participants (23 treatment, 22 wait-list control) ≥65 yr old participated in the 8-wk, once-weekly autobiographical writing workshop, Share Your Life Story (Sierpina, 2002).
RESULTS. Depressive symptoms were significantly less prevalent for the treatment group than for the control group after the 8-wk life review program (repeated-measures analysis of variance p = .03).
CONCLUSION. The results suggest that the Share Your Life Story writing workshop is an effective occupation-based intervention for occupational therapists to use with older adults who reside in senior residences.
Addressing psychosocial needs is critical to sustaining independence in daily living skills.
Life review through writing workshops is an evidence-based intervention to address depressive symptoms in older adults.
Life review through writing is a valuable intervention that can be included in geriatric occupational therapy practice.
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