Effects of Arts Engagement on Physical Performance, Cognition, Social Isolation, and Self-Perception in Older Adults

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Mental Status Change; Cognitive Impairment; Physical Activity; Self-Perception; Social Isolation; Quality of Life
• Interventions: Other: Active Social Conversation

• Registration Number: NCT04281654
• Lead Sponsor: George Mason University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this community-engaged project is to examine how taking part in different arts (dance \& music), compared to control (no arts) affects older adults' Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL using the Short Form-20(SF) form), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery-SPPB), cognition (using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-MoCA), social engagement (National Social Life, Health, \& Aging Project-NSHAP survey), and perceptions of self (focus interviews).

Detailed Description

In this Randomized-Controlled-Trial, 60 adults (20/condition) will take part in 20, 45-minute sessions (ballroom dance, ukulele/guitar playing, or control- i.e. social conversation), 2 times/week for 10 weeks.

While the investigators know that arts participation improves function in older adults, exact effects of different arts programs on health outcomes remains unclear.

The investigators plan to fill this gap by studying how different arts participation affect health outcomes.

The overall aim is to study how arts engagement helps older adults remain active and influences physical, psychological, and emotional functioning.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-07-29
• Study Start: 2019-09-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-02-21
• Study First Posted: 2020-02-24
• Primary Completion: 2020-04-25
• Study Completion: 2020-04-26
• Status Verified: 2022-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-02-16
• Last Update Posted: 2022-03-04

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 64

Inclusion Criteria

• Be healthy,
• > 65 years of age and able to take part in learning music, or ballroom dance.

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of a co-morbid mental health diagnosis or other physical or behavioral challenges that the study staff assess as rendering the participant unable or unsafe to participate in the study.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control	Active Social Conversation	The Control group participants will meet 2 times per week for 45-minutes/session for 10 weeks to participate in a social conversational group for 10 weeks
Ukulele	Active Social Conversation	The Music group participants will take part in ukulele lessons twice/week for 45-minutes/session for 10 weeks
Ballroom Dance	Active Social Conversation	The Dance group participants will take part in ballroom dance lessons twice/week for 45-minutes/session for 10 weeks

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Physical Performance using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)	Pre (Week 0), Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention	The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is an assessment tool for evaluation of lower extremity functioning in older persons. In this tool, participants will perform the 3 SPPB components: 1) Ability to stand for 10 sec with feet in 3 different positions (together side-by-side, semi-tandem, and tandem), 2) Two timed trials of a 4-m walk (fastest recorded), and 3) Time to rise from a chair five times. The subtests are scored from 0-4. The overall SPPB is scored from 0 (Minimum) to 12 (Maximum score) with higher scores indicating better lower extremity function.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Social Connections using the Social Connections Survey	Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention	Participants complete questions from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) measure perceived social connection and isolation. These questions ask participants about 1) Support from partner (we are using 3 of the 6 questions); 2) Support from family (we are using 3 of the 5 questions); 3) Support from friends (we are using 3 of the 5 questions). All questions are on a 4-point frequency range from "never" to "often", except for 2 questions. Question #1 construct one is on a 7-point scale from "very unhappy to "very happy" and question #5 construct two is on a 6-point scale from "none" to "more than 20". The 7 items with the same frequency anchors will be summed; the other two items will be analyzed as one-item indicators.
Change in Cognition using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) survey	Pre (Week 0), Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention	The Montreal Cognition Assessment (MoCA) is a brief, 30-question test designed as a rapid screening instrument for mild cognitive dysfunction. It assesses different cognitive domains: attention and concentration, executive functions, memory, language, visuoconstructional skills, conceptual thinking, calculations, and orientation. MoCA scores range between 0-30. A score of 26 or over is considered normal.
Change in Self-Perception Post Intervention Focus Interview	Post 1 (Week 10) and Post 2 (Week 15) Intervention	In these interviews participants discuss how they self-perceive any physical, mental, and social changes they underwent as a result of taking part in the interventions

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hylton Performing Arts Center; 🇺🇸 Manassas, Virginia, United States