Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04324203

The Effectiveness of 3DVR Horticultural Therapy on Older Adults

This study intends to develop a 3DVR-based horticultural therapy intervention to explore the health effectiveness among older adults

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Physical Health Behavior Mental Health Personal Satisfaction Psychological Well-Being

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

National Taiwan Normal University,

Taipei, 10610, Taiwan

About this study

Background: Institutionalized older adults have limited ability to engage in horticultural activities that can promote their physical and mental health.

Objective: This study explored the effects of a combination of three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) and horticultural therapy (HT) on institutionalized older adults' physical and mental health.

Methods: The study applied a quasi-experimental design. A total of 106 older adults from two long-term care facilities were recruited and assigned to the experimental (n = 59) or control (n = 47) group. The experimental participants received a nine-week intervention. Both groups completed three assessments: at baseline, after the intervention, and two months later. The outcome variables included health status, meaning in life, perceived mattering, loneliness, and depression.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • over 65 years old.
  • being a long-term resident of the selected LTCF
  • possessing the ability to understand verbal meanings
  • being able to freely operate a joystick.

Exclusion criteria

  • a history of severe psychiatric conditions, dementia, significant visual or hearing impairment, and/or current severe illnesses such as stroke or Parkinson's disease.

Treatment and study plan

Three-dimensional Virtual Reality and Horticultural Therapy

Other

VR is a realistic, three-dimensional, and virtual environment formed by a combination of computer software and hardware

Primary outcomes

  1. Health Status

    Time frame: Two months

    To assess the health status of the elderly participants, we used the Chinese Health Scale (CHQ-12). This scale consists of 12 Likert-type items that are scored from 3 (not at all) to 0 (more than usual). The higher the score, the higher the level of general health.

  2. Meaning in life.

    Time frame: Two months

    The meaning in life questionnaire was adapted from the purpose in life (PIL) survey, and it consists of 9 Likert-type items. Each item is scored on a Likert-type scale from 1-5, with higher scores indicating a higher level of perceived meaning in life.

  3. Perceived mattering

    Time frame: Two months

    Perceived mattering was adapted from the General mattering Scale (GMS), and consisted of five items. Each item was scored on a Likert-type scale of 1(not at all) to 4(very much) with higher scores indicating a higher level of perceived mattering.

  4. Loneliness

    Time frame: Two months

    The short-form UCLA Loneliness Scale (ULS-6), which consists of six items, was used to measure loneliness. Each item was reversely scored on a Likert-type scale from 4 (never) to 1 (often), with higher scores indicating a lower level of perceived loneliness.

  5. Depression

    Time frame: Two months

    Using a Chinese version of the short-form of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). The total raw score ranged from 0-15, with a higher score indicating a lower level of depression.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

National Taiwan Normal University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effectiveness of 3DVR Horticultural Therapy on Older Adults' Physical and Mental Health

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Mar 27, 2020
Registry last updated
Mar 27, 2020

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.