Effects of Creative Expressive Arts-based Storytelling (CrEAS) programme on older adults with mild cognitive impairment: protocol for a randomised, controlled three-arm trial

Abstract

IntroductionEarly non-pharmacological interventions can prevent cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Creative expression (CrExp) can potentially mitigate cognitive decline and enhance the physical and mental health of older people. However, it is unclear whether activities involving CrExp can improve cognitive function and other health-related outcomes in older adults with MCI. The aim of the present study is to develop a Creative Expressive Arts-based Storytelling (CrEAS) programme that integrates verbal and non-verbal expressive activities and evaluate its effectiveness in improving cognitive function and other outcome indicators so as to explore its possible mechanism from the perspective of neuroimaging.Methods and analysisThis parallel randomised controlled trial with three arms (one intervention and two control arms) will be conducted over a 24-week period. A total of 111 participants will be enrolled and randomised to the CrEAS, recreation and usual activity groups. The CrEAS programme combines visual arts therapy and storytelling (TimeSlips) under the Expressive Therapy Continuum theoretical framework and provides an opportunity for people with MCI to actively engage in activities to improve cognitive function through verbal and nonverbal CrExp. Global cognitive function, specific domains of cognition (memory, executive function, language and attention) and other health-related outcomes (anxiety, depression and quality of life) will be measured at baseline, at the end of the intervention, and at the 24-week follow-up. Structural/functional brain MRI data will be collected at baseline and immediately after the intervention.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Fujian Provincial Hospital (K2018-03-061). The study results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and at academic conferences.Trial registration numberChiCTR1900021526.

Cognitive Stimulation as Alternative Treatment to Improve Psychological Disorders in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment

“…In addition, it has been shown that the glycemic variable and hypertension are associated with dementia-like diseases such as progressive supranuclear palsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and corticobasal syndrome [ 4 , 5 ]. MCI is known as a neurological disorder that is somewhere between normal functioning and dementia [ 6 ] and is defined by the WHO as a disorder characterized by memory impairment, learning difficulties, and reduced ability to concentrate on a task for more than brief periods [ 7 ]. The prevalence of MCI increases with age and has an incidence ranging from 21.5 to 71.3 cases per 1000 inhabitants/year [ 8 ].…”

The effect of creative expression program in neurocognitive networks performance measured by task and resting-state functional MRI

“…In the early stage of cognitive impairment, the benefits of cognitive intervention in improving cognitive function in old adults with MCI or dementia have been widely reported (Chan et al ., 2017; Marlats et al ., 2019; Savulich et al ., 2017; Steinbeisser et al ., 2020). Novel cognitive intervention therapy such as TimeSlips showed positive effects in target population (Kim et al ., 2020; Lin et al ., 2020). The creative expression program (CrExp), which is based on the concepts of art therapy, showed that when the patients were immersing in a group-centered activity, it may specifically benefit one’s emotional expression and communication skills in older adults with AD or dementia (Shimada et al ., 2017; Vigliotti et al ., 2019).…”

A systematic review of digital storytelling as psychotherapy for people with mental health needs.

“…In creating digital stories about their life histories, Hausknecht et al (2019) claimed that older adults are given a chance to engage with others through stories as digital producers. In fact, Lin et al (2020) proposed that such creative retelling of past life events has the capability to improve older people's physical and mental health and slow down their intellectual deterioration. Hence, storytelling is now a standard psychotherapeutic intervention that has become a vital tool in the arsenal of mental health recovery services (Nurser et al, 2018).…”

“…Telling stories is a time-tested method of creatively narrating, translating, and communicating lived experiences of individual people or communities in various human contexts (Davis & Restrepo, 2003; Grove, 2015; Lin et al, 2020; McNett, 2016). Indeed, storytelling is a popular form of art by which cultural messages and myths are recreated and transmitted intergenerationally (Davis & Restrepo, 2003; Sawyer & Willis, 2011).…”