Art Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy, Wellbeing and Meaning in Life of Retired Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Art Therapy January 9, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2024.2424042 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Urban community-dwelling retired Indian older adults |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) Art therapy (AT) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | MBAT participants reported higher posttest scores on wellbeing and meaning in life compared with the art therapy group, which showed no statistically significant posttest change. Gender and MBAT compliance were robust predictors of outcomes. The authors suggest MBAT could enhance wellbeing and meaning in life for retired older adults. |
Abstract
Abstract This article reports a study on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) sessions on wellbeing and meaning in life outcomes of urban community-dwelling retired Indian older adults versus art therapy (AT) sessions. A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design was used. Results suggested that MBAT participants reported higher posttest scores on wellbeing and meaning in life measures versus the AT cohort wherein no statistically significant posttest change was observed. Participants’ gender and MBAT compliance were robust predictors of outcomes. Findings practically imply that MBAT, which combines art, meditation and mind-body connection, could enhance wellbeing and meaning in life for retired older adults.