Abordaje psicológico en una persona mayor a través de la tecnología

Abstract

The doctoral thesis sets out the general objective of designing and implementing a pilot program for the psychological approach in an older adult through the use of technology. The study followed an intra-subject repeated measures design without a control group. It received authorization from the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Murcia. The pilot study involved one older adult who was selected based on predefined inclusion criteria: being over 65 years, absence of diagnosis of a mental disorder or clinically significant symptomatology, and an adequate degree of autonomy to understand and participate in activities independently. Regarding sociodemographic characteristics, the participant had a middle socioeconomic status and previous experience with digital environments. The study was conducted at a day-care center located in the northwestern region of Murcia. The assessment instruments used in the pretest condition included: semi-structured interviews to collect sociodemographic data, the Katz Index to measure the level of autonomy, the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and the Mini-Cognitive Examination (MEC-35) to assess cognitive functioning, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess the presence of anxiety; the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to evaluate depressive symptomatology; the Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI) to gather data on personality traits; the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure the degree of perceived loneliness; the Older People’s Quality of Life Questionnaire (OPQOL); the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to assess affectivity; and the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Questionnaire. In the postest condition, the aforementioned assessment instruments were employed, except for semi-structured interviews and the inclusion of the Usability Questionnaire adapted from Amabili et al. (2024). A descriptive analysis of the results was conducted, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Pretest results indicated a mild degree of cognitive impairment, a high level of autonomy, absence of anxiety and depressive symptomatology, and a tendency to maintain meaningful and adaptive interpersonal relationships. The participant also reported a low perception of loneliness, along with high levels of psychological well-being and quality of life. In the posttest condition, overall results showed no clinically significant changes. Specifically, cognitive performance remained stable, and no clinically significant changes were observed in quality of life, psychological well-being, affectivity, or loneliness, although a slight trend toward improvement was noted. In addition, a slight, non-clinically significant reduction in anxiety and depression was identified. Lastly, the usability questionnaire indicated a high overall satisfaction with the technology, with an experience described as pleasant and helpful in enhancing productivity, and a moderate score regarding ease of use. The results suggest that assistive technology may contribute to reducing progression of cognitive decline, thereby positively impacting the autonomy and well-being of older adults, aligning with goals aimed at promoting active aging. Usability may be associated with the perception of usefulness and pleasant interaction, as well as a significant effect on individual well-being. Therefore, as noted in the scientific literature, these tools are promising for improving quality of life and well-being and for promoting independent living at home. However, continued research is needed to further examine their use and effects among older adult populations.