Research conducted by Hirokazu Tamura and colleagues

People in this study preferred the more “realistic” baby doll

Most people living with Dementia believed the dolls were real babies

Participants who would engage with a doll did so within the first 90 seconds

Study involved 13 Residents which all had Alzheimer’s Disease and lived in a long term-care facility

51 people living with Dementia in a care home

Linear regression demonstrated statistically significant differences in aggression, obsessive behaviors, wandering, negative verbalization, negative mood and negative physical appearance after introduction of doll therapy intervention

Interactions with other individuals also increased over time

16 Participants (11 of which had Dementia, 4 were actively using dolls)

Both doll users and non-doll users believed that a doll represented a sense of ownership, which promoted a sense of control

Filled people with a sense of pride

16 women living with Dementia ages 60-64

There was generally an improvement in happiness, level of activity, interaction and ease of personal care

Dolls offered to all 37 residents with Dementia

Wellbeing of the people who used dolls was judged to either a little better(30%) or much better (70%) by caregivers

Wellbeing increases were associated with ‘greater levels of interaction with staff, fellow residents, appeared happier, less agitated and more amendable to personal care activities’

Each person was presented with 23 predetermined different engagement stimuli (e.g. life-like baby doll, robotic animal, a magazine, a ball etc.)

Presented to 193 people living with Dementia residing in 7 care homes

Average age of 86 (151 female, 42 male)

Authors found that residents preferred dolls as opposed to robotic and animal shaped toys

All patients admitted to the 21 bed gero-psychiatric unit over a period of 3 months

115 patients (72 women, 43 men)

39% had a clinical dx of Dementia

Authors found that people engaging in doll therapy were more likely to receive LESS PRN Haloperidol as opposed to those who didn’t

Case study of 1 female participant with moderately advanced Alzheimer’s disease

Prior to doll therapy, Mary was socially withdrawn and did not communicate with many people, she wandered and become easily distressed. 

‘Improvement in dining experience, social interaction with staff and other residents, improved self-esteem as Mary was proud to be the “one” with the doll’

10 People living with Dementia in a care home (9females and 1 male)

Age range 72-92

Both groups (people who had previously engaged with doll therapy and people who had never engaged with doll therapy) showed greater levels of caregiving behavior when engaging with a doll

21 people living with Dementia

The authors found that the dolls should seems real, or have some quality that show2s them to have ‘reality’. This realism would promote a more authentic experience