Fractal drawing as support for emotional well-being and everyday cognitive efficiency in older adults following the loss of a partner: A multiple case study

The aim of this paper is to examine how the Intuitive Cycle of the fractal drawing method may be associated with changes in emotional well-being and subjectively perceived aspects of everyday cognitive efficiency (attention, mental organisation, practical problem-solving, and emotional functioning) in older adults during the period following the loss of a partner. The study was conducted as a multiple qualitative case study based on the logic of analytic replication. Two independent cases were implemented in two different locations, facilitated by two different practitioners, while following a harmonised protocol of activities and data collection. The participants were Olga (80), a retired chemist, and Klara (64), a retired preschool teacher, both of whom had experienced the loss of their husbands. Primary data sources included participants’ diary entries, verbal reflections during the process, and facilitators’ process observations. Thematic analysis revealed convergent patterns of change in both cases: stabilisation of emotional state, increased experiences of joy and gratitude, and a subjectively perceived strengthening of concentration and mental efficiency in everyday situations. A difference between the cases was observed in the maintenance of practice: Klara continued drawing after the completion of the cycle, whereas Olga reduced her drawing activity but redirected her energy into other forms of engagement. Over the following year, both participants, through occasional contact, reported an “echo” of the benefits across various spheres of everyday life.