The Effectiveness of Art Activities and Peer Group Participation on Psychological Well Being Among Elderly center attendees: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (Preprint)

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Transitioning to residential centers often induces significant psychological stress in older adults, adversely affecting their psychological well-being and ability to age healthily healthy aging. To Chinese art activities and combined with peer group participation, have demonstrated efficacy in improving emotional well-being and fostering social connectivity, with younger populations but have not been examined elderly populations to date. </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> To assess the efficacy of Chinese art Activities or combined with Peer Group Participation in enhancing Psychological Well-Being among Chinese residents of an elderly residential center. </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> This multi-center, randomized, assessor-blind and analyst-blinded trial used a Max.-Min.-Con. design with three groups: control or routine care, receiving Chinese art Activities, and receiving both Chinese art Activities and peer group participation (1:1:1 allocation). Ninety participants, aged 60 to 85 and recently arrived residents with a stay of one year or less, will be recruited from three identical facilities (30 each center) and assigned via minimal randomization. Interventions were performed at three sessions within one week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Baseline evaluations will be conducted before randomization to evaluate psychological well-being, loneliness, happiness, relaxation, and salivary cortisol levels. Outcome evaluations will be conducted 30 minutes prior to and following each intervention session to assess immediate effects. A follow-up evaluation is planned one week after the final intervention to measure sustained outcomes. </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> The trial received funding in September 2024. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Prince of Songkhla University (Approval No: PSU IRB 2024-St-Nur 048). The first participant was enrolled on May 9, 2025, and as of August 20, 2025, a total of 90 participants has been recruited. Data analysis has not yet begun, and the results are expected to be published by the end of 2025. </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> This study will be the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of Chinese traditional art activities (CAA), either alone or combined with peer-group Participation (CAA+PGP), on enhancing PWB in older people. Evaluate the efficacy of salivary cortisol as a biomarker for the assessment of PWB. The findings will provide empirical evidence to assist policymakers and elderly centers in selecting appropriate interventions, with the long-term potential to improve the psychological health in older adults. </sec> <sec> <title>CLINICALTRIAL</title> ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06841133. Registered on Feb 21, 2025 </sec>