Interventions aimed at promoting and operationalising the concept of Integral Human Development (IHD) – which involves understanding the integrality of human characteristics, needs, and context – particularly in the field of ageing, remain scarce. We present two studies: i) validation and ii) efficacy evaluation of a pilot training project in Serious Leisure for professionals in the field of ageing, to promote IHD in older adults in the context of institutionalisation. The training sessions adopt both a practical and theoretical approach, exploring the relationship between the concepts and the associated themes. This is a 30-hour face-to-face training programme targeted at gerontology professionals, regardless of their roles or academic background. Our aim is to contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of Serious Leisure in this context, particularly for older adults, with a focus on professionals working in this area.
In Study 1, institutions (N=10) with multidisciplinary teams (N=87) were included. Following the training, a focus group was conducted to gather perceptions about the adoption of new behaviours. Using thematic analysis, the NVivo software was employed. All participants reported gains (personal, relational, and/or in terms of caring for older adults); it is important to highlight the discovery of Serious Leisure as “an absolute novelty”; Serious Leisure proved effective as a tool for promoting IHD, among other outcomes.
Study 2 involved a quasi-experimental design with a control group, incorporating the application of an initial protocol, followed by 30 hours of training, and, finally, the reapplication of the same protocol. At the end of the intervention, a focus group was conducted using the same questions as in Study 1. A preliminary analysis suggests a positive impact from the intervention.
Additionally, we present the resources developed for the training, as well as scientific and social activities for disseminating the results, along with future projects.
Key Words: Ageing; Gerontology; Integral Human Development; Intervention; Professionals; Serious Leisure.
