A Mixed-method Research on Group Play Therapy in Long Term Care Institution

• Main Authors: CHEN, JIA-JIA, 陳嘉嘉
• Other Authors: HSIAO, WEN-KAO
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/zre4af

碩士 === 朝陽科技大學 === 社會工作系 === 106 === As Taiwan’s population continues to age, long-term care institutions have replaced the caring functions of some traditional families. Relevant studies have shown that the cognitive and mental functions of elderly people in institutions may deteriorate due to lack of activity in their lives. Many researchers have suggested that organizations should not only provide accommodation services but also look after the mental health of the elderly. Organizing activities designed for the elderly can provide them stimulation and effectively alleviate functional deterioration. Therefore, this study’s purpose is to: (1) document and modify the design of group activities through action research and reflection; (2) investigate whether group play therapy activities effectively enhance the cognitive skills and improve the depression emotions of elderly people in nursing homes; and (3) based on research results, propose activity designs for the reference of staff at care institutions. In this study, 11 elderly people received six-month group-play therapy (including 53 activities) two to three times per week, with 90 to 120 minutes allocated to each activity. Research was conducted mixing different methods. Quantitative analysis was based on a quasi-experimental design, using the structured questionnaire MMSE and GDS-SF as tools for data collection. Measurements were taken before, during, and after the study (seven measurements in total). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19.0. A repeated measured ANOVA analyzed the differences in participants before and after the program. Additional data was collected through “action research” during the study. Results: (1) The MMSE score increased from the pre-test mean of 19.91 to the post-test mean of 21.27, and the post-test score in the score table increased by 1.36, indicating a statistically significant difference (F=17.858, p<.001). (2) The total depression score declined from the pre-test mean of 6.45 to a post-test mean of 3.91, and the post-test score in the score table decreased by 2.54, also indicating a statistically significant difference (F=25.054, p<.05). Additionally, during the group encounters, action research was used to examine and revise working methods within groups. It was found that the elderly people’s verbal expression and interpersonal interaction improved significantly. These feedback and revision processes serve as reference for institutions. Based on these results, relevant recommendations are made for institutions, policies, game assistive devices design, and follow-up research.