Individual-assisted reminiscent therapy of the elderly in a nursing home setting

Abstract

This study examined the effects of individual-assisted reminiscence therapy on elderly nursing home residents. The thirty elderly participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: reminiscence, current events, and control. Three dependent measures were used: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck's Depression Inventory, and Depression Adjective Check List. The analysis indicated no significant differences among the treatment groups for any of the dependent measures. The analysis did indicate a main effect of time of testing for depression, such that participants were less depressed over time. Individual-assisted reminiscence therapy failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of reminiscence. Suggestions were made for further research on group treatment of the elderly.