Nursing interventions in impaired mood regulation in older adults

Abstract

Introduction. The high prevalence of mood impairment disorders in older adults with dementia leads to negative effects on quality of life. Doll Therapy or doll-assisted therapy is proposed as a non-pharmacological intervention for this condition, based on theories of attachment, transitional object, and person-centered approach. Objective. Determine the effect of nursing interventions on the deterioration of mood regulation in older adults. Methodology. Quantitative, quasi-experimental and longitudinal study, conducted in 18 institutionalized older adults with dementia. The Mini Mental Test and the Differential Inventory of Adjectives for Mood State (IDDA-EA) were applied before and after the intervention with Doll Therapy for 4 weeks, with 3 weekly sessions lasting 60 minutes each. Results. The participants presented dementia according to the Mini Mental Test. The pre-intervention IDDA-EA revealed low levels of activation, elevated levels of stress and decreased arousal. After Doll Therapy, statistically significant improvements were found in the activation dimension (p=0.025), reflecting an increase in energy, interest, and disposition levels. Conclusion. Doll Therapy proved to be an effective nursing intervention to improve mood regulation in institutionalized older adults with dementia, specifically in the activation dimension. It is recommended to extend the application time to consolidate positive effects on the dimensions of stress and arousal.