This study investigates whether sharing life stories and creating life-story books can enhance the quality of life and life satisfaction and reduce depression in older adults. The primary research question is: Did the quality of life, life satisfaction, and levels of depression improve more for participants in the intervention group compared to those in the control group? Participants will be divided into two groups: * Intervention group: These participants will share life stories and create life-story books. * Control group: These participants will not share life stories or create life-story books.
Background: The main goal of this study is to investigate whether telling their life stories and developing a life-story book intervention affects a group of Omani older adults' quality of life, life satisfaction, and depression symptoms. Methods: In Oman, a randomized controlled trial with repeated measures was conducted to evaluate the impact of the intervention. 75 older individuals were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 38) or the control group (n = 37). Baseline demographic data were collected as an initial reference point. To comprehensively assess changes over time, participants' depression levels, life satisfaction, and overall quality of life were measured at multiple time points: weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8. This longitudinal design allowed for a nuanced analysis of intervention effects across different implementation phases. This study believes that participants in the 8-week trial of the life-story review intervention were successful in reducing depression and improving life satisfaction and quality of life in the older population. Healthcare professionals can use such interventions to enhance older persons' mental health and well-being.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
75
There were 5 sessions for the intervention group. All sessions took place in the participant's home. The first 4th sessions involved participant sharing a particular time of their life event, such as childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and the current stage. Transcripts were prepared and compiled following the completion of the interviews. The participants will proofread their life-story book before sending it for printing. In the 5th session, they were given their life storybooks. A self-report questionnaire was used in every session to collect participants' quality of life, life satisfaction, and depression scores.
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Muscat, Muḩāfaz̧at Masqaţ, Oman
Change from baseline in the depression scores (GDS-15) at 8 weeks
The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), Arabic version, was used to collect depression scores. It comprises 15 closed-ended questions regarding how the elderly participants felt during the previous week. Zero indicates no depressive symptoms, and 15 indicates severe depressive symptoms.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of intervention at 8 weeks.
Change from baseline in the life satisfaction score at 8 weeks
The Arabic version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was used to collect older adults' degrees of life satisfaction. The SWLS consists of 5 items with response options ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), and it has good reliability (a = 0.86). A total score of 35 indicates greater life satisfaction; a score of 5 indicates poor life satisfaction.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks
Change from baseline in the quality of life score at 8 weeks
World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQoL-BREF) The World Health Organization Quality of life questionnaire, The WHOQoL-BREF, in Arabic, assesses older persons' health-related quality of life. It is a 26-item test with a 5-point Likert-type scale; a higher score would suggest a higher quality of life regarding the environment, social interactions, psychology, and physical health.
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks.
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