| Author: | Chan, Chun Yiu Henri |
| Title: | The effects of the original Zentangle method for older adults with depressive symptoms : a randomised waitlist controlled trial |
| Advisors: | Lo, Herman (APSS) |
| Degree: | DSW |
| Year: | 2021 |
| Subject: | Zen art -- Therapeutic use Art therapy Depression in old age Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Department of Applied Social Sciences |
| Pages: | 188 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Background: Approximately 10% of older adults in Hong Kong have depression. Antidepressant medications and psychotherapy have always been recommended for treating older adults with depression. Medication may have side effects. Hence, the high level of involvement of well-trained experts or professionals is necessary to provide timely and intensive psychotherapy intervention. The original Zentangle method is an art form that promotes calmness and increases awareness by drawing structured patterns. It may also enhance one's self-compassion. A growing interest has been observed in applying Zentangle in mental health or elderly services in Hong Kong. However, no empirical study has been conducted on the effects of this method. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effects of Zentangle on community-dwelling older adults with depression. To achieve the research goal of this study, three objectives are set: i) to evaluate the change in depressive symptoms in older adults after the intervention, ii) to evaluate the change in self-compassion in older adults with depression after the intervention and iii) to investigate the maintenance effect on depression and self-compassion during the six-week follow-up of the intervention. Method: A randomised waitlist controlled trial of Zentangle was conducted in Hong Kong from October 2019 to July 2020. A six-session protocol of intervention was developed on the basis of the original Zentangle method. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group and the waitlist control group. The effects were examined by comparing the participants who received a six-week Zentangle intervention with those in the waitlist control group. Baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1, six weeks after T0) and six-week follow-up (T2, twelve weeks after T0) measures were completed in this study. Forty-six community-dwelling older adults with scores of five or above in the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were recruited. Outcomes including depressive symptoms, self-compassion, self-soothing tendency, self-defeating tendency, positive affect, negative affect, participation in pleasant activities and perceived health were assessed. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis on repeated measure ANOVA revealed significant Time x Group effects for depression (F (2, 88) = 21.29, p < .001) with a large net effect size (Cohen's d) of .85 and self-compassion (F (2, 88) = 18.50, p < .001) with a large net effect size (Cohen's d) of 1.27. Other outcome measures had strong effect sizes, thus showing improvements in positive affect, negative affect, self-soothing tendency, self-defeating tendency and participation in pleasant activities. A six-week follow-up indicated that all these improvements were sustained. Conclusion and Discussion: This study is the first randomised waitlist controlled trial of the original Zentangle method for a clinical sample with late-life depression in Hong Kong. The results provide preliminary support that the Zentangle programme is an effective alternative treatment approach for older adults with mild or moderate depression. The original Zentangle method can reduce depressive symptoms and cultivate self-compassion. Therefore, the Zentangle programme is recommended for social work practitioners and mental health professionals. Further research is necessary to yield further support for the application of the Zentangle programme in treating late-life depression and to expand our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of how the original Zentangle method works. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6364.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.44 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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