Impact of Digital Device, Exercise, and Music Intervention Programs on the Cognition and Depression of the Elderly in South Korea: A Meta-Regression Analysis

This study examined the effect of digital devices, exercise, and music intervention programs for the elderly in Korea on their cognition and depression. This study selected 70 cognition programs and 46 depression programs for the elderly in Korea. This study controlled the characteristics of the programs and participants, and conducted a meta-regression analysis to estimate the intervention effect size of digital devices, exercise, and music on cognition and depression. The meta-regression analysis revealed that digital device programs had a smaller effect size with respect to the improvement of cognitive functions than programs that did not use digital devices. The exercise programs had a small effect size on depression, but their effect size on cognition was not significantly different. These findings provide implications for developing a program that combines music therapy with digital devices and exercise interventions, which can be effective in addressing both cognition and depression.