Stimulating the creativity of elderly institutionalized women through works of art

The present article reports a controlled intervention study concerning the effects of a nondirected use of pictures of works of art as a way of stimulating creativity in elderly institutionalized women. Participants were randomly allocated either to the intervention (n = 20) or to the control (n = 20) group. After the intervention significant improvement in ratings between the groups was measured, with the intervention group more open and flexible and with a stronger deposition to a creative behavior than subjects in the control group. They also showed greater freedom and variation than the control group in drawing circles and making pictures. In puzzle tests the intervention group constructed increasingly imaginative, irregular, and open alternatives with colored patterns. The control group constructed closed and black forms. Importantly, the status of increased creativity continued to exist four months after the intervention. No changes were seen in the control group. This group showed a rational and precautious personality.