Sandplay activities for older adults: a planned trial on mood and meaning

This research was planned to determine the effect of structured sandplay activities on positive and negative affect and levels of meaning in life in elderly individuals. The research will be conducted as a single-blind, randomized controlled trial with a pre-test, post-test design at the Gül Kokulu Çınarlar Vefa Konağı of the Isparta Municipality Health Affairs Directorate between July 2026 and July 2027. Prior to the research, ethical committee approval and institutional permission for implementation will be obtained. The research population consists of 400 individuals registered with the institution. The sample will consist of 60 individuals (30 in the intervention group and 30 in the control group) who meet the inclusion criteria, are selected using block randomization, and provide informed consent. The control group will receive no intervention; a pre-test will be administered on the first day, and a post-test will be administered on the day the intervention for the experimental group ends. The intervention group will participate in sandplay activities twice a week for a total of four sessions; a pre-test will be administered on the first day, and a post-test will be administered in the last session. Data collection is planned for the period between July 2026 and July 2027 using the Personal Information Form (PIF), the Positive-Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), and the Meaning in Life Scale (MLS). Data will be analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences) statistical analysis package, and statistical significance will be accepted at p \< 0.05.