尽管可以在不同的环境中进行即兴戏剧训练,评估其作为增强老年人认知训练手段的有效性的研究很少。这项研究考察了短期剧院即兴练习对认知健康的老年人认知灵活性的影响,以及它们对即兴创作四个核心组成部分的影响(即,自发性,流量,创造力,嬉戏)。该研究还研究了这四种关键药物的改善与老年人认知灵活性的改善之间的相关性。这项定量实证研究是在以色列的养老院和日托中心进行的。共有45名参与者参加了这项研究,身体健康,具有与年龄相适应的认知能力。参与者被分为五个研究小组;每个小组每周开会两次,在六周的时间内进行一小时的即兴表演。数据是通过在四个时间点完成的五份问卷收集的(之前,during,在研讨会之后)。研究结果没有表明即兴练习对参与者的认知灵活性有显著影响,然而,他们确实在即兴创作的三个方面表现出了改进:自发性,流量,嬉戏。因此,这项研究的结果表明,尽管老年人的基本认知功能正常下降,即兴对认知灵活性的有益影响可能仍然通过自发性发生,嬉戏,和流动。总之,简短的剧院即兴练习可以在各种环境中促进健康衰老的各种指标。
Despite the availability of improvisational theater training in different settings, studies that assess its effectiveness as a means for enhancing cognitive training for older adults are scarce. This study examines the influence of short theater improvisation exercises on the cognitive flexibility of cognitively-healthy older adults, and their influence on the four core components of improvisation (i.e.,
spontaneity, flow, creativity, playfulness). The study also examines the correlation between an improvement in these four key agents and an improvement in cognitive flexibility among older adults. This quantitative empirical study was conducted in retirement homes and daycare centers in Israel. A total of 45 participants took part in this study, all in good physical health and with age-appropriate cognitive abilities. The participants were divided into five research groups; each group met twice a week for a one-hour improvisation session over a six-week period. The data was collected through five questionnaires that were completed at four points of time (before, during, and after the workshop). The findings did not indicate a significant effect of the improvisation exercises on the participants\' cognitive flexibility, yet they did show improvement in three components of improvisation:
spontaneity, flow, playfulness. As such, the findings of this study indicate that despite a normal decline in basic cognitive functioning among older adults, the beneficial effect of improvisation on cognitive flexibility might still occur through
spontaneity, playfulness, and flow. In conclusion, short theater improvisation exercises could contribute to various indicators of healthy aging in various settings.