The effect of perception stimulation group activity therapy on self-esteem and depression in the elderly at Jember Nursing Home

Purpose Elderly people with low self-esteem and depression need psychotherapy to increase their self-esteem and reduce the risk of depression. This study aims to analyze the effect of perception stimulation group activity therapy on self-esteem and depression in the elderly at Jember Nursing Home. Design/methodology/approach A quasi-experimental research design with pre-test-post-test with control group was conducted 68 elderly people using purposive sampling. The experimental group was given three sessions of perception stimulation group activity therapy for 1 week, while the control group was treated as usual. The Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale instrument is used to measure self-esteem and the Geriatric Depression Scale is used to measure depression. The statistical tests used are paired sample t test and independent sample t test. Findings The results showed that there were significant differences in self-esteem (p = 0.000) and depression (p = 0.000) before and after perception stimulation group activity therapy in the experimental group. There was no significant difference in self-esteem (p = 0.812) and depression (p = 0.096) before and after perceptual stimulation group activity therapy in the control group. There is a significant difference in self-esteem (p = 0.000) and depression (p = 0.001) between the experimental and control groups. Originality/value Therefore, perception stimulation group therapy is effective in increasing self-esteem and reducing depression in the elderly in Jember Nursing Home. Perception stimulation group activity therapy can be applied as an intervention for psychosocial problems, including low self-esteem and depression.