Impact of Theater Experience on Older Adults Living in Retirement Communities

Theater is a complex, multi-component performing art. On stage, actors not only need to memorize the script, but also be able to portray emotion and feeling through movement and move in whichever manner is deemed appropriate by the script. Acting therefore requires as much movement as it does vocalization. As training exercises in theater naturally involve boosting physical, cognitive and affective function, and social relationships, theater experience can be used to promote health and wellness. Over the last two decades, there has been an increase in the use of theater to promote health and wellness among older adults.

Thus, the overall aim of this project is to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of a 10-week theory-based theater program on physical functioning and emotional stress among older adults.

Hypothesis #1: Older adults residing in subsidized housing who participate in a theory-based theater program will demonstrate better physical functioning, and reduction in emotional stress than wait-list controls at the conclusion of a 10-week theater program.

Hypothesis #2: The positive impact of the theater program on the residents' improved physical functioning and stress level will be maintained at 3-month follow-up.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Aging
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: theater program

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 84
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Hon K Yuen, PhD; Phone Number: 2059346301; Email: yuen@uab.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Alabama
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294
      • University of Alabama at Birmingham
    • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35294-1212
      • University of Alabama at Birmingham

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 62 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 62 or older living in HUD-subsidized housing
2. Residence in a subsidized apartment for at least one year.
3. Able to carry on a daily conversation with or without hearing aids
4. Intact cognition as indicated by a score of greater than 5 on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ)
5. Ambulatory with or without aids, as the outcome measures require participants to perform static and dynamic balance, and walking activities.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Visual impairment that cannot be corrected with assistive devices
2. Diagnosis of progressive neurodegenerative disorders (self-report)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Theater program; The design of the 10-week theater program is based on the principles of acting as written and practiced by Constantin Stanislavski in his revolutionary text on acting: "An Actor Prepares" [Stanislavsky C, 1989]. The exercises target concentration, voice, physical skills, emotion memory, observation, and dramatic analysis and include 3 components: 1. Preparation for the Actor (which involves relaxation , collaboration, movement, posture, and vocality; 2. Learning the Components of the Repeatable Acting Process (which involves physicality, attention, and concentration); and 3. Synthesizing Components into Characterization (which involves creativity and emotional expression). Each of these components will be addressed during each of 20 sessions through the use of group warm ups, group ensemble exercises, and group recitations. Participants will perform physical, mental, and emotional exercises similar to those given to beginning acting students in traditional theater schools.	Behavioral: theater program; 10-week theory-based theater program designed to improve their physical functioning and reduce emotional stress.
No Intervention: Wait-list control; During the study period, the control group will not receive any type of intervention. However, they will be offered the same theater program experience after the primary data collection period ends.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Timed Up-and-Go	The "timed Up-and-Go" (TUG) is a composite measure of functional mobility, including lower extremity power, balance, gait, and fall risk. Measured in absolute time (seconds), where lower time is a better score.	baseline
Timed Up-and-Go	The "timed Up-and-Go" (TUG) is a composite measure of functional mobility, including lower extremity power, balance, gait, and fall risk. Measured in absolute time (seconds), where lower time is a better score.	immediately post-intervention
Timed Up-and-Go	The "timed Up-and-Go" (TUG) is a composite measure of functional mobility, including lower extremity power, balance, gait, and fall risk. Measured in absolute time (seconds), where lower time is a better score.	3-month follow up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Medical Outcomes Study Short Form	The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, version 2 (SF-36v2) is a 36 item patient reported outcome measure of health-related quality of life in 8 different domains. Scores range from 0 to 100, with high scores indicating more positive health.	baseline
Medical Outcomes Study Short Form	The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, version 2 (SF-36v2) is a 36 item patient reported outcome measure of health-related quality of life in 8 different domains. Scores range from 0 to 100, with high scores indicating more positive health.	immediately post-intervention
Medical Outcomes Study Short Form	The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, version 2 (SF-36v2) is a 36 item patient reported outcome measure of health-related quality of life in 8 different domains. Scores range from 0 to 100, with high scores indicating more positive health.	3-month follow up
2-minute step test	The 2-minute step test (TMST) is a field test of exercise tolerance where the participant steps in place for 2 min. The higher the number repetition indicates better performance.	baseline
2-minute step test	The 2-minute step test (TMST) is a field test of exercise tolerance where the participant steps in place for 2 min. The higher the number repetition indicates better performance.	immediately post-intervention
2-minute step test	The 2-minute step test (TMST) is a field test of exercise tolerance where the participant steps in place for 2 min. The higher the number repetition indicates better performance.	3-month follow up
30-sec chair stand test	The 30-sec chair stand test (30CST) is a measure of lower extremity power and functional mobility. The participant stands up from a chair and sits back down as many times as possible in 30 sec. The higher the number repetition indicates better performance.	baseline
30-sec chair stand test	The 30-sec chair stand test (30CST) is a measure of lower extremity power and functional mobility. The participant stands up from a chair and sits back down as many times as possible in 30 sec. The higher the number repetition indicates better performance.	immediately post-intervention
30-sec chair stand test	The 30-sec chair stand test (30CST) is a measure of lower extremity power and functional mobility. The participant stands up from a chair and sits back down as many times as possible in 30 sec. The higher the number repetition indicates better performance.	3-month follow up
Berg Balance Scale	The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a 14-iten test that measures function mobility and balance. Scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating better balance.	baseline
Berg Balance Scale	The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a 14-iten test that measures function mobility and balance. Scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating better balance.	immediately post-intervention
Berg Balance Scale	The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a 14-iten test that measures function mobility and balance. Scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating better balance.	3-month follow up
Grip strength	Hand-grip strength is a quantitative measure of upper extremity strength. Higher values indicated more strength.	baseline
Grip strength	Hand-grip strength is a quantitative measure of upper extremity strength. Higher values indicated more strength.	immediately post-intervention
Grip strength	Hand-grip strength is a quantitative measure of upper extremity strength. Higher values indicated more strength.	3-month follow up
Emotional stress	Emotional stress will be assessed via cortisol levels obtained from hair samples analyzed via immunoassay. Typical values range from 2 to 200 pg/mg, with higher levels indicating higher chronic stress.	baseline
Emotional stress	Emotional stress will be assessed via cortisol levels obtained from hair samples analyzed via immunoassay. Typical values range from 2 to 200 pg/mg, with higher levels indicating higher chronic stress.	immediately post-intervention
Emotional stress	Emotional stress will be assessed via cortisol levels obtained from hair samples analyzed via immunoassay. Typical values range from 2 to 200 pg/mg, with higher levels indicating higher chronic stress.	3-month follow up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Stanislavsky C. An Actor Prepares. New York: Routledge; 1989.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 4, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 17, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): April 17, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 7, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): October 9, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 13, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 12, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Older adults; Physical functioning; Theater; Emotional stress
• Other Study ID Numbers: 000526106

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No