The Effectiveness of Life Skills Training on Cognitive Flexibility and Quality of Life in Elderly People with Diabetes Mellitus Type-2: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Physical and mental health are related to cognitive flexibility and quality of life in the elderly with type-2 diabetes. Therefore, this study aims at determining the effect of life skills training on cognitive flexibility and quality of life in the elderly with type-2 diabetes.

This study was a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design with a control group. The population consists of the elderly with type-2 diabetes members of Jahandidegan daily Center in Shiraz, Iran in 2022. Based on the inclusion criteria, 30 subjects were randomly selected and assigned into experimental and control groups of 15 subjects. Elderly people, suffering from type-2 diabetes were evaluated with a demographic, Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, and Quality of Life Questionnaire. The experimental group went under 10 sessions of 75 minutes of life skills training and the control group was held back on training. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).

The findings showed that life skills training led to the improvement of cognitive flexibility mean score (F=15.69, p<0.001) and quality of life mean score (F=52.18, p<0.001) of the elderly with type-2 diabetes.

The present study showed that life skills training can increase cognitive flexibility and quality of life in the elderly with type -2 diabetes. Therefore, mental health specialists are recommended to use this simple, useful, and low-cost method in the elderly with type-2 diabetes with cautious.