Expressive Arts-based Intervention for Adults With Age-related Visual Impairment

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is an age-related eye disease resulting in vision loss. Persons with AMD not only experience a gradual loss of ability in independent living, but also profound impairment in psychosocial well-being.The multimodal, expressive arts-based intervention (EXABI) that emphasizes imagination and creativity can be an engaging, enjoyable, and safe process of empowerment. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness and process of an expressive arts-based intervention in enhancing psychosocial wellness and adjustment to gradual vision loss of persons with AMD. This current study will adopt a 2-arm randomized controlled design with treatment-as-usual control. Upon screening for inclusion exclusion criteria, baseline data will be collected; and eligible participants will be randomized into either an 8-week Expressive Arts-based intervention group or Treatment-As-Usual control group.

Inclusion Criteria:Participants are community-dwelling, Chinese-speaking adults aged between 50 and 80, with diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration and moderate visual impairment (i.e. best-corrected distance visual acuity worse than 6/18 or 0.48logMAR) to blindness (6/360 or 1.78logMAR).Exclusion Criteria:Inability to understand the Chinese language, as well as a diagnosis of total blindness, presence of other significant physical, psychological, and cognitive comorbidities that would hinder the participant from completing the study will be excluded.