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HOME > J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs > Volume 27(4); 2016 > Article
Original Article
Effectiveness of a Positive Psychology-based and Character Strengths-integrated Activity Program on Depression, Vitality, Life Satisfaction in Elderly Living Alone in Rural Areas
Sang Mi Han, Yeongmi Ha
Journal of Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing 2016;27(4):299-308.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12799/jkachn.2016.27.4.299
Published online: December 31, 2016

1Geochang Health Center, Geochang, Korea.

2College of Nursing · Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea.

• Received: May 1, 2016   • Revised: October 16, 2016   • Accepted: October 20, 2016

© 2016 Korean Academy of Community Health Nursing

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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  • Purpose
    The purpose of this study was to develop a positive psychology-based and character strengths-integrated activity program for elders living alone in rural areas, and then to examine the effectiveness of the program.
  • Methods
    A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design with a nonequivalent control group was used. The participants included 59 elders in total, of whom 30 were assigned to the experimental group and 29 to the control group. positive psychology-based and character strengths-integrated activity program for elders consists of sixty-minute sessions held twice per week during 6 weeks, hence 12 sessions in total.
  • Results
    There were significant differences between the experimental and control groups in depression, vitality and life satisfaction (all p<.001).
  • Conclusion
    The positive psychology-based and character strengths-integrated activity program for elders living alone in rural areas is effective in that it decreased the degree of depression and increased the vitality and life satisfaction in the participants.
Table 1

A Character Strengths-based Integrated Activity Program on a Positive Psychology for Elderly Living Alone in Rural Areas

No Themes Concept of character strength Contents of a character strengths-based integrated activity program on a positive psychology
1 Introduce myself Vitality Play activity (20 min) - Introduce program
- Make nickname
Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (30 min) - Introduce myself with music
- Express my feelings
2 Who is best? Vitality Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (20 min) - Be pride of lovely son and grandson
- Make a soft ball with stocking
Play activity (30 min) - Game using a soft ball
- Express my feelings
3 Song with a music instrument which I make Vitality Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (20 min) - Make a music instrument 'Maracas' with a plastic bottle
Play activity (30 min) - Song 'Milyang Arirang' using a maracas
- Express my feelings
4 I'm a best model Vitality Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (20 min) - Talk about a dress which I like and I would like to wear
- Make a dress with a disposable raincoat
Play activity (30 min) - Do a fashion show with a dress which I Make
- Express my feelings
5 Lovely my hand Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (50 min) - Make my hand with a plaster
- Express my feelings
6 Loving my friend Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (50 min) - Make a crown cap
- Saying love you to their friends
- Express my feelings
7 Present for my loving person Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (50 min) - Make a present with a clay for a loving person
- Express my feelings
8 Being with you Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (50 min) - Doing a Group picture
- Express my feelings
9 Wonderful myself Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (20 min) - Saying about their past event
- Make their face with fabulous stickers
Play activity (30 min) - Take a picture of my laughing face with a polaroid camera
- Express my feelings
10 Make a picture frame Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (50 min) - Make a picture frame with fabulous stickers
- Express my feelings
11 Give a present to myself Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (50 min) - Make a candy necklace
- Express my feelings
12 My wishes Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
Art activity (50 min) - Saying about my hope and plan
- Flying a Helium balloon with my hope and plan
- Express my feelings
Table 2

Homogeneity Test of General Characteristics in Elderly Living Alone in a Rural Area (N=59)

Characteristics Categories Exp. (n=30) Cont. (n=29) x2 or t (p)
n (%) or M±SD n (%) or M±SD
Gender Female 30 (100.0) 29 (100.0) -
Age (year) 77.13±5.18 77.68±5.63 −0.39 (.695)
MMSE-KC 23.33±2.42 22.24±2.70 1.63 (.108)
Educational level No education 20 (66.7) 26 (89.7) 5.03 (.081)
Elementary school 8 (26.7) 3 (10.3)
Middle school 2 (6.7) 0 (0.0)
Subjective health status Good 2 (6.7) 0 (0.0) 2.74 (.577)
Moderate 17 (56.7) 19 (63.3)
Poor 11 (36.7) 11 (36.7)

Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group; Fisher's exact test.

Table 3

Homogeneity Test of Characteristics in Elderly Living Alone in a Rural Area (N=59)

Characteristics Exp. (n=30) Cont. (n=29) t (p)
M±SD M±SD
Depression (range: 0~15) 9.20±2.82 9.24±3.97 -0.05 (.963)
Vitality (range: 1~7) 3.02±0.56 3.28±0.71 −1.50 (.136)
Life satisfaction (range: 1~4) 2.27±0.22 2.35±0.24 −1.30 (.200)

Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group.

Table 4

Effectiveness of a Character Strengths-based Integrated Activity Program on Depression, Vitality, Life Satisfaction in Elderly Living Alone in Rural Areas (N=59)

Variables Groups Post Post
M±SD t (p) M±SD t (p)
Depression Exp. 9.20±2.82 −0.05 (.963) 2.93±2.24 −10.78 (<.001)
Cont. 9.24±3.97 10.13±2.86
Vitality Exp. 3.02±0.56 −1.50 (.136) 4.83±0.63 9.17 (<.001)
Cont. 3.28±0.71 3.21±0.72
Life satisfaction Exp. 2.27±0.22 −1.30 (.200) 2.91±0.17 11.81 (<.001)
Cont. 2.35±0.24 2.23±0.25

Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group.

This manuscript is based on a part of the first author's master's thesis from Gyeongsang National University.

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    Citations to this article as recorded by  
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    • Social Capital and Life Satisfaction of Elderly who Lives Alone: Focusing on Regional Difference in Depression and Public Pension
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    Effectiveness of a Positive Psychology-based and Character Strengths-integrated Activity Program on Depression, Vitality, Life Satisfaction in Elderly Living Alone in Rural Areas
    Effectiveness of a Positive Psychology-based and Character Strengths-integrated Activity Program on Depression, Vitality, Life Satisfaction in Elderly Living Alone in Rural Areas
    No Themes Concept of character strength Contents of a character strengths-based integrated activity program on a positive psychology
    1 Introduce myself Vitality Play activity (20 min) - Introduce program
    - Make nickname
    Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (30 min) - Introduce myself with music
    - Express my feelings
    2 Who is best? Vitality Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (20 min) - Be pride of lovely son and grandson
    - Make a soft ball with stocking
    Play activity (30 min) - Game using a soft ball
    - Express my feelings
    3 Song with a music instrument which I make Vitality Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (20 min) - Make a music instrument 'Maracas' with a plastic bottle
    Play activity (30 min) - Song 'Milyang Arirang' using a maracas
    - Express my feelings
    4 I'm a best model Vitality Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (20 min) - Talk about a dress which I like and I would like to wear
    - Make a dress with a disposable raincoat
    Play activity (30 min) - Do a fashion show with a dress which I Make
    - Express my feelings
    5 Lovely my hand Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (50 min) - Make my hand with a plaster
    - Express my feelings
    6 Loving my friend Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (50 min) - Make a crown cap
    - Saying love you to their friends
    - Express my feelings
    7 Present for my loving person Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (50 min) - Make a present with a clay for a loving person
    - Express my feelings
    8 Being with you Gratitude and love Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (50 min) - Doing a Group picture
    - Express my feelings
    9 Wonderful myself Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (20 min) - Saying about their past event
    - Make their face with fabulous stickers
    Play activity (30 min) - Take a picture of my laughing face with a polaroid camera
    - Express my feelings
    10 Make a picture frame Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (50 min) - Make a picture frame with fabulous stickers
    - Express my feelings
    11 Give a present to myself Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (50 min) - Make a candy necklace
    - Express my feelings
    12 My wishes Hope Health activity (10 min) - Health clapping with a song 'what's wrong with my age'
    Art activity (50 min) - Saying about my hope and plan
    - Flying a Helium balloon with my hope and plan
    - Express my feelings
    Characteristics Categories Exp. (n=30) Cont. (n=29) x2 or t (p)
    n (%) or M±SD n (%) or M±SD
    Gender Female 30 (100.0) 29 (100.0) -
    Age (year) 77.13±5.18 77.68±5.63 −0.39 (.695)
    MMSE-KC 23.33±2.42 22.24±2.70 1.63 (.108)
    Educational level No education 20 (66.7) 26 (89.7) 5.03 (.081)
    Elementary school 8 (26.7) 3 (10.3)
    Middle school 2 (6.7) 0 (0.0)
    Subjective health status Good 2 (6.7) 0 (0.0) 2.74 (.577)
    Moderate 17 (56.7) 19 (63.3)
    Poor 11 (36.7) 11 (36.7)
    Characteristics Exp. (n=30) Cont. (n=29) t (p)
    M±SD M±SD
    Depression (range: 0~15) 9.20±2.82 9.24±3.97 -0.05 (.963)
    Vitality (range: 1~7) 3.02±0.56 3.28±0.71 −1.50 (.136)
    Life satisfaction (range: 1~4) 2.27±0.22 2.35±0.24 −1.30 (.200)
    Variables Groups Post Post
    M±SD t (p) M±SD t (p)
    Depression Exp. 9.20±2.82 −0.05 (.963) 2.93±2.24 −10.78 (<.001)
    Cont. 9.24±3.97 10.13±2.86
    Vitality Exp. 3.02±0.56 −1.50 (.136) 4.83±0.63 9.17 (<.001)
    Cont. 3.28±0.71 3.21±0.72
    Life satisfaction Exp. 2.27±0.22 −1.30 (.200) 2.91±0.17 11.81 (<.001)
    Cont. 2.35±0.24 2.23±0.25
    Table 1 A Character Strengths-based Integrated Activity Program on a Positive Psychology for Elderly Living Alone in Rural Areas

    Table 2 Homogeneity Test of General Characteristics in Elderly Living Alone in a Rural Area (N=59)

    Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group; Fisher's exact test.

    Table 3 Homogeneity Test of Characteristics in Elderly Living Alone in a Rural Area (N=59)

    Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group.

    Table 4 Effectiveness of a Character Strengths-based Integrated Activity Program on Depression, Vitality, Life Satisfaction in Elderly Living Alone in Rural Areas (N=59)

    Exp.=experimental group; Cont.=control group.


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