A pilot randomized controlled trial of the shogi-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (S-CBT) preventive stress management program.

BACKGROUND: Shogi is a traditional board game in Japan. A preventive stress management program based on Shogi-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (S-CBT) was applied in the Japanese municipality of Kakogawa City. The study aimed to develop an S-CBT preventive stress management program for the elderly and determine its efficacy. METHODS: The participants were 67 elderly men with amateur-level Shogi skills. They were randomly assigned to either the S-CBT group (n = 33) or the waiting-list control group (n = 34). The S-CBT program was conducted over six 90-min sessions. The outcome measures were recorded using K6 instrument, the Japanese version of the abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale, five items on cognitive behavioral functioning, and subjective well-being scale. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The dropout rates of the S-CBT group and waiting-list control groups were 36.4 and 44.1%, respectively. Effect sizes (Cohen's d) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each group. Domains that changed immediately after the S-CBT intervention were problem-solving skills, self-reinforcement, and negative automatic thoughts. Future research should promote mental and physical health through the design of intervention programs using familiar materials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN CTR) UMIN000036003 .

Increasing light physical activity helps to maintain cognitive function among the community-dwelling oldest old population: a cross-sectional study using actigraph from the Arakawa 85+ study.

AIM: To investigate the influence of replacing sedentary time with physical activity on cognitive function using an isotemporal substitution model in a population of community-dwelling oldest old. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included residents of the Arakawa ward, Tokyo, who were part of a prospective cohort from the Arakawa 85+ study. We measured physical activity in 136 participants using a triaxial actigraph. Cognitive function was measured using the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III and participants were divided into a "cognitive decline group" (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III ≤88) and "cognitive maintain group" (Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-III ≥89). Physical activity was divided into three categories: sedentary behavior (≤1.5 metabolic equivalents), light physical activity (>1.5 to <3.0 metabolic equivalents), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (≥3 metabolic equivalents). Using an isotemporal substitution approach, we applied multiple logistic regression analysis to demonstrate the association between cognitive function and replacing 30 min/day of sedentary behavior with an equal period of light physical activity. Covariates included age, education and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. RESULTS: Our findings showed that in men, replacing 30 min of sedentary behavior per day with light physical activity was associated with a 1.47-fold increase in the odds of maintaining cognitive function. An association between physical activity and cognitive function was not observed in female participants. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that substituting sedentary behavior with light physical activity could be helpful in maintaining cognitive function in community-dwelling oldest old men. These results highlight the importance of behavioral changes to promote cognition. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 773-778.

Correction to: BPSM-D-19-00022R2 Subjective well-being and problem-solving skills for alleviating the stress of elderly men attending a randomized controlled trial of shogi-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13030-019-0153-4.].

BPSM-D-19-00022R2 Subjective well-being and problem-solving skills for alleviating the stress of elderly men attending a randomized controlled trial of shogi-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy.

Shogi is a popular board game in Japan, and shogi-assisted cognitive-behavioral therapy (S-CBT) has been applied in Kakogawa City, a Japanese municipality. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of S-CBT on the subjective well-being of elderly men. Participants were 61 elderly men with amateur skill at shogi. They were randomly assigned to either the S-CBT group or a wait list group (control). The S-CBT group participated in a weekly, six-session S-CBT program. The intervention outcomes were scores on the K6, Lubben Social Network Scale, and a five-item cognitive-behavioral functioning scale. The Subjective Well-being Scale was used to assess happiness and satisfaction with life, and all the participants were classified into high- and low-happiness groups using the median score as the cutoff. The results showed that scores on "self-reinforcement" were significantly (P < 0.05) increased for those receiving S-CBT compared with controls, regardless of the participants' happiness scores. In contrast, the scores on "problem solving skills for alleviating stress" were significantly (P < 0.05) increased for those receiving S-CBT compared with controls only among those in the low-happiness group. These results remained significant after controlling for the effects of age and baseline scores on the K6, Social Network Scale, and "problem solving skills for alleviating stress" category. The S-CBT may be especially beneficial when focused on practical advice for the stress management of older people with low subjective well-being. (trial registration: 000036003 [UMIN, Japan]). Trial Registration: Trial registration number: 000036003 [UMIN, Japan].