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Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
A short-term intervention to enhance cognitive and affective functioning in older adults
Helga Noice1, Tony Noice, Graham Staines
1Department of Psychology, Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126, USA. helgan@elmhurst.edu
Objective:
This study was designed to investigate the benefits of a short-term intervention for older adults that targeted cognitive functioning and quality of life issues important for independent living.
Method:
One hundred twenty-four community-dwelling participants (aged 60 to 86) took part in one of three study conditions: theater arts (primary intervention), visual arts (non-content-specific comparison group), and no-treatment controls.
Results:
After 4 weeks of instruction, those given theater training made significantly greater gains than did no-treatment controls on both cognitive and psychological well-being measures. A comparison of theater and visual arts training showed fewer benefits in fewer areas for visual arts.
Discussion:
The authors suggest reasons why various aspects of theater training appear to enhance healthy aging.
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