Bringing Creative Writing Instruction into Reminiscence Group Treatment

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Mental Health
• Psychotherapy Program Evaluation

Background:

• Group interventions are vital for geriatric mental health.
• Reminiscence therapy and creative writing are established therapeutic modalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a group intervention combining reminiscence and creative writing.
• To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of this combined approach.

Main Methods:

• A 10-week group intervention was conducted seven times in an outpatient geriatric mental health clinic.
• Feasibility and acceptability were assessed via group monitoring and qualitative feedback.
• Effectiveness was measured using pre- and post-test depression screening (PHQ-9) and qualitative feedback.

Main Results:

• 34 veterans participated, with significant reductions in PHQ-9 depression scores (p = .005).
• Participants reported qualitative improvements, including increased motivation and self-expression.
• The intervention was deemed feasible and acceptable for the veteran population.

Conclusions:

• The combined reminiscence and creative writing intervention is a viable option for geriatric mental health.
• Further randomized controlled research is recommended to establish efficacy.
• Clinicians can adapt or integrate creative writing into reminiscence interventions for patient benefit.