Efficiency of Cognitive-Existential Group Therapy on Life Expectancy and Depression of Elderly Residing in Nursing Home

Abstract

Objectives Reduced life expectancy and depression are the most common psychological traits in the elderly, followed by several potential reactions. Therefore, the present study examined the efficiency of cognitive-existential group therapy on reducing depression and increasing the life expectancy in the elderly. Methods & Materials The present study exhibited a quasi-experimental design with random assignment is pre- and post-tests. The statistical population of this study included all elderly residents of the Kerman nursing homes . The simple random sampling method was employed on two private centers in Kerman Ali and Mehrazin to randomly select 30 individuals, who were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (n=15 each). The experimental or the cognitive-existential group was subjected to ten sessions (each 90 min). The control group did not receive any intervention. The data were analyzed and represented as mean, standard deviation, and covariance. Results The results showed that cognitive-existential group therapy significantly affected the life expectancy and depression in elderly living in nursing homes (P<0.01). Conclusion The cognitive-existential group therapy with a picture of self and emphasis on training time and awareness of death in elderly increased the life expectancy, reduced the depression, and improved the mental health of the elderly.

Keywords

• Cognitive-existential treatment
• Life expectancy
• Depression
• Frail elderly