Die ontwikkeling en evaluering van 'n logoterapeutiese program vir 'n groep bejaardes

Abstract

The development and the evaluation of a logotherapeutic programme for a group of the aged The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a logotherapeutic programme aimed at the facilitation of the experience of meaningfulness and psychological well-being among a group of aged people. A literature survey was undertaken to obtain a profile of the aged person and of his functioning within therapy and in groups. An analysis was also made of the foundations of the logotherapeutic approach and existing logotherapeutic programme material in order for these to serve as a basis for the logotherapeutic programme developed in the study. Forty volunteers for the study were identified at a retirement village in the eastern suburbs of Pretoria. They were then allocated to the control group (n = 20) and the P.xperimental group (n = 20). The latter group was then subdivided into two groups through the programme intervention. The following measuring instruments were used in the study: The Mini-mental status scale was taken down for all participants in order to determine their level of cognitive clarity. The "Purpose-in-life" test (PIL), the "Seeking-of-noetic-goals"test (SONG), the Antonovsky Coherense Scale and the Abbreviated Beck Depressionscale were all used in the pre- and post-testing together with a subjective evaluation scale after each session. A two-group pre - and post-test design was used. The application of the logotherapeutic programme (the independent experimental variable in the study) on the experimental group took place between the two evaluations. The programme stretched over nine sessions for a period of fr:~ weeks. An analysis of the test results indicated that the subjects in both the experimental and the control groups were mentally alert in terms of the Mini-mental status scale. It was also found that the aged persons with whom the programme was implemented experienced a significantly larger degree of meaningfulness following the programme than they had done before. The basic hypothesis of the study, therefore, to the extent that it dealt with experience of meaningfulness, could be supported. On the PIL (the most important measuring instrument in the quantitative measuring of meaningfulness) a statistically significant and practically significant difference was found between the experimental group and control group, as well as with regard to the experimental group's pre- and post-test differences. The programme had a relatively small effect in terms of the aspects measured by the SONG and the Abbreviated Beck Scale. According to the test results, the programme had no effect on the experience of coherence of the aged persons. The evaluation questionaire which the members of the experimental groups completed after the completion of each session underlined the good structuring and meaningfulness of the programme. The qualitative evaluation of the programme occured by way of remarks by the group members. The remarks were indicative of an increased experience of meaningfulness among the members of the relevant group of the aged, and the creation of space for greater group coherence as well as the opportunity for meaningful interpersonal communication.