Activation Programme's Impact on Seniors' Emotionality and Loneliness

The goal of this pilot study is to verify the short-term effectiveness of the Activation-Socialisation Intervention Programme (A-S IP) on the psychosocial survival of older adults in a specific care facility. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does the A-S IP reduce the rate of negative emotional states in older adults? * Does the A-S IP increase the rate of positive emotional states in older adults? * Does the A-S IP reduce feelings of loneliness in older adults? Researchers will compare the experimental group (older adults participating in the A-S IP) to a control group (older adults not participating in the intervention) to assess the impact on emotional states and loneliness.

Participants will:

* Participate in 40 activities based on three domains (Laughter Therapy, Reminiscence Therapy, and Cognitive and Social Skills Stimulation) * Engage in group activities for four weeks, with daily sessions scheduled in the morning and afternoon * Provide feedback on their experiences through surveys and questionnaires to assess their emotional states and satisfaction with the intervention

The study will also explore whether the intervention contributes to the well-being of older adults, as measured by changes in their emotional states and feelings of loneliness.

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Key information

Conditions

Emotional States Loneliness Seniors

Age range

62 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Hriňovčan care facility for older adults

Hriňová, Slovakia, 96205

About this study

The study was registered retrospectively due to limited awareness of the registration requirement for behavioral interventions at the time of study initiation (in 2021). Initially, the research was designed as an exploratory study on a smaller scale, and the registration of a formal trial was not considered necessary.

As an early-career researcher and doctoral student, I was not initially aware of the necessity of registering behavioral intervention studies. However, as the study progressed and its significance became evident, I came to understand the importance of this process. Once I became aware of the registration requirements, I took the necessary steps to complete it accordingly.

Despite the late registration, the study was conducted according to a pre-specified protocol, with all methodological and ethical standards strictly adhered to (approved, for example, by the Ethics Committee of UMB). The hypotheses, study design, and analysis plan were defined prior to data collection, ensuring the integrity and transparency of the research.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

long-term residence in the facility,
age over 62,
willingness to participate,
ability to participate (no severe cognitive or physical impairments)

Exclusion criteria

significant physical problems,
significant mental health problems,
unwillingness to participate

Treatment and study plan

Activation-socialization intervention programme

Other

The proposed A-S IP (Author, 2021) includes 40 activities of three domains focusing mainly on the social-psychological level of education: the Laughter Therapy Concept (13), the Reminiscence Therapy Concept (13), and the Cognitive and Social Skills Stimulation Intervention Concept (14).

The implementation of the A-S IP activities was designed for a time period of four weeks during weekdays. In the Hriňovčan care facility for older adults, mainly in the common room, two activities were implemented daily during the morning and afternoon hours reserved for this purpose. Morning activities (active) were from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., and afternoon activities (passive) were from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. The application of the activities was strictly determined and organised according to a time-thematic schedule that applied rules. The participants participated in group activities, and their participation was voluntary.

Primary outcomes

the Scale of Emotional Habitual Subjective Well-being - SEHP (Džuka & Dalbert, 2002)

Time frame: one month

The Scale of Emotional Habituation of Subjective Well-Being - SEHP (Džuka & Dalbert, 2002) was used to examine the short-term effectiveness of the intervention programme. The self-esteem scale maps the frequency of experiencing positive and negative emotions, totalling 10. Negative emotional experiencing consists of six emotions such as anger, guilt, fear, pain, sadness, and shame, positive emotional experiencing consists of pleasure, physical freshness, joy, and happiness. The participants responded on a six-point scale (6 - almost always; 1 - almost never). The total score of negative emotions is the sum of negative emotions, and the total score of positive emotions is the sum of positive emotions (Džuka et al., 2021). An additional variable, loneliness, was added to the scale. It was assessed on an identical six-point scale.

Unit of Measure: Score (Total score for positive and negative emotions)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Diana Ďuricová

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Impact of an Activation-Socialisation Intervention Programme on the Emotionality and Loneliness of Older Adults in Slovak Elderly Care Facilities - a Pilot Study

Important dates

Study start: 2021
Primary completion: 2021
Study completion: 2021
First posted: Mar 10, 2025
Registry last updated: Mar 14, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed