STIMULATING THE CREATIVITY OF ELDERLY INSTITUTIONALIZED WOMEN THROUGHWORKS-OF-ART

The present article reports a controlled intervention study concerning the effects of a nondirected use of pictures of works of art as a way of stimulating creativity in elderly institutionalized women. Partici pants were randomly allocated either to the intervention (n = 20) or t o the control (n = 20) group. After the intervention significant impro vement in ratings between the groups was measured, with the interventi on group more open and flexible and with a stronger deposition to a cr eative behavior than subjects in the control group. They also showed g reater freedom and variation than the control group in drawing circles and making pictures. In puzzle tests the intervention group construct ed increasingly imaginative, irregular, and open alternatives with col ored patterns. The control group constructed closed and black forms. I mportantly, the status of increased creativity continued to exist four months after the intervention. No changes were seen in the control gr oup. This group showed a rational and precautious personality.