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For Immediate Release Contact: Kristi Maxwell, Marketing & Sales Manger
NEW STUDY REPORTS EFFECTIVENESS OF TTAP METHOD® IN ENHANCING COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE Baltimore, MD (May 4, 2009)—Author Linda Levine Madori, Ph.D., CTRS, ATR and her book Therapeutic Thematic Arts Programming for Older Adults reached an important milestone with the results of a recent study investigating the effectiveness of thematic arts programming on the cognitive performance of elderly Hispanics. The 12-week study used a combination of personal interviews, tasks, and questionnaires to judge the effectiveness of the programming. Before starting the Therapeutic Thematic Arts Program (TTAP®), activity programming which guides older adults to explore broad themes using a range of artistic expressions, including music, dance, poetry, sculpture, and photography, participants were interviewed to gather personal and demographic information. Each performed a “neurological clock drawing test” (CDT) to see how closely they could replicate a traditional clock face, which helps ascertain cognitive function. A Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) was also administered to evaluate “the frequency of everyday deficits in attention, perception, memory, and motor coordination."[1] Art therapy sessions were made available to participants on a weekly basis, after which participants were again evaluated. Results showed that those who participated in the art therapy sessions showed an average score increase on the CDT of 2.2 points and an increase in the CFQ scores of 3.5. The results from those who did not participate in the therapy sessions were even more telling. Their scores on the CDT reflected an average increase of just 0.1 points and an average decrease of 7.5 points on their CFQ scores. Consequently the TTAP Method®, which is described in Dr. Levine Madori’s book, had a significant effect on cognitive performance and functioning in the study group. The outcome of this study confirms Dr. Levine Madori’s work with the TTAP Method® as a solid, evidence-based approach to enhancing cognitive functioning in older adults. Levine-Madori is an Assistant Professor of Recreation and Leisure at St. Thomas Aquinas College and has worked as a therapist in the field of gerontology for more than 25 years. [1] Levine-Madori, L. (2009). Using TTAP Method© to Enhance Cognitive Performance in the Hispanic Elderly. www.levinemadoriphd.com. Retrieved March 26, 2009 from http://www.levinemadoriphd.com/index.php/articles/using_ttap_method_to_enhance_ ### For more information on purchasing Therapeutic Thematic Arts Programming for Older Adults or other Health Professions Press books, please visit www.healthpropress.com or contact Kristi Maxwell at kmaxwell@healthpropress.com or 410-337-9585 x181. About Health Professions Press Health Professions Press, Inc., based in Baltimore, Maryland, is a 20-year-old publisher of high-quality educational resources for professionals in the fields of aging, long-term care, and health services administration. Visit www.healthpropress.com to learn more about this independent company, its vision and mission, and its growing list of publications.
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