Conceptualising and Understanding Artistic Creativity in the Dementias: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Research and Practise

Creativity research has a substantial history in psychology and related disciplines;
one component of this research tradition has specifically examined artistic creativity.
Creativity theories have tended to concentrate, however, on creativity as an individual
phenomenon that results in a novel production, and on cognitive aspects of creativity,
often limiting its applicability to people with cognitive impairments, including those
with a dementia. Despite growing indications that creativity is important for the
wellbeing of people living with dementias, it is less well understood how creativity
might be conceptualised, measured and recognised in this population, and how this
understanding could influence research and practise. This paper begins by exploring
prevailing concepts of creativity and assesses their relevance to dementia, followed
by a critique of creativity and dementia research related to the arts. Perspectives
from researchers, artists, formal and informal caregivers and those with a dementia
are addressed. We then introduce several novel psychological and physiological
approaches to better understand artistic-related creativity in this population and
conclude with a conceptualisation of artistic creativity in the dementias to help guide
future research and practise.