The Effectiveness of Life Review Therapy on Depression and Self-Efficacy among the Elderly

The present research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of life review therapy on depression and self-efficacy among the elderly. The statistical population of the research included all the elderly individuals aged 60 years and older in Tehran, Iran, who lived at home and were referred to active daily rehabilitation and health centers in Tehran. From the target population, 4 elderly people from two active centers in Tehran (Yas and Arman Shayan centers) that had daily admission of the elderly were selected by convenience sampling method and underwent life review intervention during 8 sessions. The present research was an experimental study that was conducted under a single-case design. Beck Depression Inventory (short form) and Scherer and Maddox self-efficacy questionnaire were used to collecting data. The results showed that life review treatment significantly improves depression and self-efficacy in the elderly and this effectiveness was stable for all the 4 subjects in the follow-up phase. According to the results of the current research, life review therapy can be used to reduce depression and increase self-efficacy among the elderly in daily care, therapeutic and rehabilitative centers.