ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Psychiatry 2022 March;63(1):43-51

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6612.21.02176-2

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Effect of group reminiscence on loneliness and spiritual wellbeing of elderly men with multiple sclerosis: a clinical trial study

Lila YAGOBI ¹, Efat SADEGHIAN ² ✉, Abbas MOGHIMBEIGI ³, Alireza MEMARI ⁴

¹ Farshchian (Sina) Educational and Therapeutic Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; ² Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Chronic Diseases (Home Care) Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran; ³ Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran; ⁴ Kahrizk Charity Foundation Care Center, Treatment and Training for the Disable People and Elderly, Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to determine the effect of reminiscence on loneliness and spiritual wellbeing of elderly men with multiple sclerosis.
METHODS: This clinical trial was conducted on 22 elderly. Six consecutive reminiscence sessions were run in the intervention group according to the Wat and Cappeliez protocol. The data collection instruments included a demographic questionnaire, Russell’s sense of loneliness questionnaire, and Palutzion and Ellison’s of spiritual wellbeing scale.
RESULTS: In intervention group the mean score of loneliness was (44.54±6.68) before the intervention, which decreased to (36.81±4.53) after the intervention (P<0.001). The mean score of spiritual wellbeing were obtained as (78.27±9.64) and (88.18±7.71) before and after the intervention, respectively (P<0.001).No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of loneliness and spiritual wellbeing berfore the intervention (P>0.05). However, a significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of loneliness and spiritual wellbeing after the intervention (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: As the findings indicated, reminiscence affected loneliness and spiritual wellbeing in elderly patients with multiple sclerosis and non-multiple sclerosis patients. Therefore, reminiscence can be used as a simple, easy, inexpensive, and applicable treatment in hospitals or elderly health centers, as well as at home.

KEY WORDS: Loneliness; Spirituality; Aged, Nursing homes; Multiple sclerosis