Characteristics of Creative Expression Activities: The Links Between Creativity, Failure-Free, and Group Process With Levels of Staff-Participant Engagement and Participant Affect in an Adult Day Center

Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between three characteristics identified as central to creative expression (CE) activities: creativity, failure-free, and group process with staff-participant engagement and participant affect. An observational study was conducted in an adult day center. Staff-participant interactions (n = 241) were recorded as they participated in sculpture, which is a type of CE activity, and 12 different traditional activities. MANOVA tests revealed that levels of engagement were greater when participants were involved in activities that included the three traits. Greater levels of positive affect were observed when participants were involved in activities that included creativity or group process.

Keywords:

• creativity
• failure-free
• group process
• engagement
• affect

Acknowledgments

Funding: This research was supported by a grant to the first author from the Hartford Foundation's Doctoral Fellows Program in Geriatric Social Work, and a grant to the second author from the Hartford Foundation's Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars Program.

The participation of staff and older adults from the adult day center is gratefully acknowledged. We also acknowledge the diligent data collection procedures offered by Heidi Fowell Christianson. We thank Michael J. Brondino for his assistance with the study design and programming of pocket PCs that were used to record direct observations of research participants.