The Effect of Group Recreation Therapy on Depression, Self-Esteem and Life Satisfaction of the Elderly

집단 레크리에이션 요법이 시설노인의 우울 및 자아 존중감과 생활 만족도에 미치는 영향

This study was conducted to investigate the effect. of group recreation therapy as a community nursing intervention on depression, self-esteem and life satisfaction. The period of data collection was from september 7, 1998 to November 14, 1998 and a total of 46 elderly were studied at a nursing home in Taegu, Korea. Among them, 25 elderly received group recreation therapy(experimental group) and the other 21 didn't(control group). The study design was a non-equivalent control group pretest -posttest design considered to quasi-experimental research. The data analysis of this study was computerized by using an SPSS/PC and hypothesis testing was done with an ANCOVA and pearson correlation coefficient. The results are as follows. 1. The depression of the experimental group was significantly reduced compared with the control group(F=37.797, P=.000). 2. The self-esteem of the experimental group was increased compared with the control group, but significant differences were not found(F=1.604, P=.212). 3. The life satisfaction of the experimental group was increased compared with the control group (F = 37.420, P=.000). 4. A significant negative correlation between depression and self-esteem and life satisfaction of the elderly(r=. -620, r=. -555, P<.001) was observed, a significant positive correlation between self-esteem and life satisfaction was observed(r=.477, P=<.001). In conclusial, it was found that group recreation therapy was an effective tool to redue depression and increase life satisfaction, thus helping the elderly cope with the problems of age.